Louis Barthélemy is a French artist who divides his time between Marrakech, Cairo and Paris. He trained in fashion design at Central Saint Martins in London and began his career at Dior as a scarf designer. He also created prints and scarves for Salvatore Ferragamo and Gucci before settling in Marrakech and taking to the road.
He works in textile, plaster, glass and tapestry. Textile appliqué, plaster bas-relief inlaid with coloured glass and hand-woven tapestry sit at the centre of his practice. Each piece comes out of a shared workshop: in Cairo, in the Nile delta and in Siwa in Egypt, then in Morocco, Lebanon and Syria, alongside craftspeople who hold long-established techniques.
At the heart of his approach lies a commitment to preserving and reviving traditional craft trades. Louis Barthélemy does more than collaborate with these makers: he brings their work to wider attention, helps to protect their livelihoods and takes part in passing on their skills. It is this part of the work, invisible in the finished piece, that decided the gallery's choice.
HEROES HAVE ROOTS BEYOND BORDERS opens on 26 November 2026 at 46 Galerie Ravenstein in Brussels. The works in the exhibition are available for acquisition. A detailed list, with full tombstone details and prices, is sent on request to becoffigalerie@becoffigalerie.com.