Galeries Joseph: a showcase for the art of living

Galerie Joseph isn’t just one gallery; there are around thirty of them. Under this banner, you’ll find a set of venues of many different sizes grouped together, all located in the Marais area of Paris. Patiently collected over the years by their owner, Michael Timsit, these spaces often have quite a venerable history, as a printing workshop, a blacksmith’s shop, or a carriage house…This year, this collector has acquired a former cabaret on Rue Chapon, bringing to three the number of establishments he owns on this street alone. As a lover of old buildings, he likes to say that his network transforms his neighborhood into an exhibition space with the Marais as its setting. Michael Timsit tailors them so that these sometimes-remarkable settings can be used for all sorts of temporary exhibitions, whether it’s for art, fashion, or design. His recipe: big white walls for hanging, specially adapted lighting and sound, and technical facilities available to creatives. The heritage elements that make these places so charming have been preserved: beams, stairways, glass canopies…The surface areas, ranging from 30 to 1200 square meters, become pop-up shops, showrooms, or reception spaces. As a few notable examples, take a look at the 250-square-meter apartment with a view over Place des Vosges, the space with a 15-meter-high glass canopy on Rue Saint-Merri, and a pocket-sized gallery that’s ideally located for launching your brand, on Rue de Turenne. Michael Timsit continues his exploration of the art of living by publishing Acumen, an online cultural magazine dedicated to design, fashion, and architecture. In September, Paris Design Week will be taking over several of his venues, whether it’s for Paris Design Factory on Rue Froissart and Rue de Turenne, and throughout the Marais neighborhood.