The two-part exhibition Four Elements: Design and Decorative Arts from Paris and Berlin presents the outcomes of the Berlin State Prize for Design Crafts from 2019 and 2022 – as well as showcasing contemporary production in the decorative arts from beyond Germany’s borders, with prize-winning and shortlisted objects from Berlin to be joined by exhibits from Paris, curated by the Chamber of Trades and Crafts in the French capital. The Parisian Chamber and its Berlin counterpart enjoy a long-standing partnership, which is topped off each year with joint exhibitions in Paris and Berlin.  

Gathered together, these objects offer a survey of the broad spectrum of design skills and innovative visions that are present in Berlin and Paris. In a diverse show, creatives from both capitals come together, exhibiting a striking language of forms, symbolism and materials.

The exhibition is being presented as part of the European Decorative Arts Festival (ETAK) in early April 2023, which is taking place concurrently in numerous countries across Europe, reflecting the diversity of the decorative arts through talks and tours, fashion shows and workshops.

A special exhibition by the Kunstgewerbemuseum of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – in collaboration with the Berlin Chamber of Trades