After the exhibition of the 17th World Biennials of Art Bookbinding, we experienced catastrophic weather episodes: on October 9, 10 and 18, France was hit by Storm Kirk, a storm of rare violence that caused unprecedented flooding. The city of Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse, where our activities are based, was hardly hit, and classified as a “natural disaster” on October 26. The floods caused considerable damage: some of the bindings from 2024 competition were irreversibly damaged, and we lost a large part of our stock of materials, binding books and 2024 catalogs, which we had to reprint.
World Biennials of Art Bookbinding
Art Bookbinding international contest
Our Art bookbinding international contest has been existing for more than 30 years. It clearly is the oldest international bookbinding contest. This event is a must for professionals and a challenge for binding schools and amateur bookbinders. The theme for 2026 competition is “La Vagabonde”, by Colette. Register now !
News
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year !
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year from the World Biennials of Art Bookibinding team ! See you in 2025 with “La Vagabonde” from Colette
Registration to 18th World Biennial of Art Bookbinding
Thanks to your donations, despite of the terrrible flood, we were able to launch the 18th Biennial with “La Vagabonde” (Colette)
Special Christmas offer : 3 books to bind
Special Xmas offer : 3 books to bind – make your choice amoung masterpieces of french literature : Victor Hugo, Beaumarchais, Camus, Kessel, La Fontaine…
We need your help
Following the floods in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (France) in October 2024, we need your support !
Urgent : help us to keep the World Biennials of Art Bookbinding alive !
Following the floods of October 2024, we need your support !
Unprecedented flooding
What you can do to support us
After managing this crisis, we’re going to postpone the launch of the 18th Biennilas (on the theme “La Vagabonde”, a novel of Colette) by three months, because the Biennials are being called into question by the damage caused, and we’re looking for financial support.
That’s why we’re appealing today to your solidarity and generosity. Help us recover from this exceptional situation !
Your donations are tax-deductible up to 66%. In other words, a donation of €100 will only cost you €34. A tax receipt will be sent to you.
President Michèle Douaze and the entire Biennials Board of Directors would like to thank you for your support, which testifies to your attachment to the Biennales and your desire to play a part in its continuity. The town of Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse has allocated us a new venue, and we’d like to thank them in particular for their invaluable support.
Together, let’s keep alive the World Biennials of Art Bookbinding, to promote art bookbinding throughout the world, as well as French literature.
Temporary Exhibition - 20 bindings Vol de Nuit
December 5th to December 29th, 2024
Museum « L’Envol des Pionniers » in Toulouse (France)
6 Rue Jacqueline Auriol, 31400 Toulouse – France
Bravo aux auteurs : Alexia KOKKINOU, Benjamin ALONSO, Carmen ROURE CORNUDELLA, Catherine BERGER, Céline BEUTAIN, Edouard LEVEAU-VALLIER, France MICHELL, François VOIGNIER, Helène POTIN, Isabelle AUZET, Jean-François NEUGNOT, Kaileen PALMSAAR, Keiki MATSUDA, Leonora KUISIEN, Liisi HINTO, Marie-Isabelle PÉREZ-BOUVILLE, Mirell VINNAL, Olivier LOUIS, Soan BRUET-PEDRO, Thierry CHARBONNIER, Zoé VISEUR.
Lors de l’exposition éphémère Vol de Nuit à Toulouse du 5 au 29 décembre 2024, nous vous invitons à découvrir 20 exemplaires exceptionnels du livre Vol de Nuit d’Antoine de Saint Exupéry reliés à la main par les lauréats des Biennales Mondiales de la Reliure d’art 2024.
Cette sélection a été faite par l’Association sur les 280 ouvrages réalisés pour la 17e édition de ce concours international qui s’est déroulée à Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse en septembre 2024. Cette association qui existe depuis plus de 30 ans propose aux relieurs du monde entier de travailler sur un livre de la littérature française célèbre.
Cette exposition entoure une édition rare du livre de l’auteur du Petit Prince dédicacé à Pierre Georges Latécoère, créateur de la Ligne entre Toulouse et l’Amérique du Sud entre les deux guerres. Ce prêt exceptionnel de la Fondation Latécoère est une édition originale de Gallimard de 1931 (tirage limité sur papier Japon super-nacré). Exemplaire n° CII (8 au total, réservés à l’auteur), relié par la maison parisienne MAROT-RODDE en cuir plein veau bleu de nuit orné d’étoiles, de filets et de lettres dorés. Louise Marot, dite Marot-Rodde, compte au nombre des relieurs les plus brillants de l’Art déco.
Cet événement est réalisé dans le cadre des 80 ans de la disparition du pilote-écrivain en partenariat avec la Fondation Antoine de Saint-Exupéry pour la Jeunesse, la Fondation Latécoère et l’association des Biennales Mondiales de la Reliure d’Art.
Inauguration jeudi 5 décembre à partir de 18h
En savoir plus : www.lenvol-des-pionniers.com
Thank you to our Partners
Thanks to those entities to support the World Biennials
17h Art Bookbinding international contest - 2024 edition
Thanks to all the visitors,
from 19 to 22 of september 2024 :
a 4-day public exhibition
to celebrate Art Bookbinding
and French litterature
The public exhibition took place in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (78-France), at Espace Jean Racine. All bindings participating to the competion were shown to the public, i.e. around 280 bindings. We were glad to share :
- Exhibition opening ceremony : September 18th
- Conference “Vol de Nuit et l’Aéropostale” : September 19th
- Bookbinders’ dinner : September 20th
- Award ceremony : September 21st
- Introduction to bookbinding for children with Dulce Maria, art bookbinder and candidate to 2024 competition.
- Supplier fair : September 19th to 22nd
- Binding restitution : September 22nd, 2024, at 17:00 or click here to organize reexpedition. See contest regulation.
Exhibition opening ceremony in Saint-Rémy lès Chevreuse (78 - France)
Mme Michèle Douaze, présidente de l’association des Biennales Mondiales de la Reliure d’Art, et Mme Micheline Mareschi, en charge des Relations Publiques et de la Communication, avec M. Dominique Bavoil, maire de Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse, accompagné de M. Jacques Caous et Mme Myriam Schwartz, conseillers municipaux, lors de l’inauguration le 18 septembre 2024 de la 17e édition des Biennales Mondiales de la Reliure d’Art
on the theme of Vol de nuit, a novel of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
In 2024 candidates were proposed to bind VOL DE NUIT by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Bookbinding Suppliers' fair
Le Salon des fournisseurs s’est déroulé en parallèle de l’exposition du 19 au 22 septembre 2024. 18 fournisseurs venus de France, de Belgique et du Royaume-Uni ont proposé à la vente leurs cuirs, parchemins, papiers marbrés, papiers à la colle, outillage, et aussi des livres et des abonnements à la revue Art et Métiers du Livre.
World Biennials of Art Bookbinding - in short
A unique international contest
This cultural artistic contest is a unique one. It is a not-to-be-missed event for professionals , binding schools and amateur bookbinders in the world.
30 years of existence
Culture patronage, the Biennials Art bookbinding are organized since 2005 in St Rémy-lès-Chevreuse,Yvelines county (78) in France. The 17th edition will take place in 2024.
More than 20 participating countries
Participating countries from all continents : Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, South Korea, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, USA, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Morocco, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland …
French literature in the spotlight
Colette, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Joseph Kessel, Albert Camus, Victor Hugo, Michel Tournier, Maurice Leblanc, Jean de la Fontaine, Charles Perrault, Beaumarchais, Jules Verne…
Exceptional savoir-faire
Traditional, full skin leather, inlays, Bradel, Italian binding, Japanese binding, object book….
600 numbered prints
Each book is unique and has a typographical printing of high quality on 160 g Velin d’Arches 100% chiffon, work carried out by Cheyne printing-works which is awarded a Living Heritage Company label.
International Suppliers' Fair
A suppliers’ fair is held jointly with the Exhibition of the bindings from September 19 to 22, 2024 at the Espace Jean Racine in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (France – 78).
18 suppliers will be there to offer you the opportunity to buy leather, parchment, marbled paper, glue paper, tools, books and more.
They are present during the 4 days: Thursday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (unless mentioned otherwise in brackets).
Bookbinding schools are also present: Lycée professionnel Corvisart Tolbiac, école AAAV du Vésinet, …
- Art & Métiers du livre – Marie AKAR – Éditions FATON site web
- À chacun son livre – Frédérique Boulas – bookshop site web
- Maison ALIVON – Pascal et Marion Saussier – tools, dorure site web
- APG Reliure – Céline et Alexandre – tools site web
- AQUARELLE+ – Elena Sorokine – pigments de grande qualité site web
- Atelier BONANNI – Yann Bonanni – pareur site web
- Editions DOUIN – plans Turgot site web
- LIEUTARD – Didier Lieutard – leather site web
- HARMATAN – Marc Lamb – leather site web
- ALRAN – M. Verdier – leather site web
- DUSARSE Mélanie – marbled paper site web
- HAMAÏDE Marie-Anne – marbled paper site web
- PERRY Katalin – marbled paper site web
- PRINA Daniela – marbled paper site web
- LASSERRE Anne – marbled paper site web
- PINET Anne – art paper site web
- RELMA – leather, art papers site web
- SOFIC – Jean-Claude Fassey – leather site web
