In late September, the Payne Whitney Mansion, located at 972 5th Avenue in New York, was given a facelift. On the top floor of this splendid granite mansion overlooking Central Park was inaugurated the Atelier, a modular space designed to host exhibitions, receptions, dinners and conferences and to promote the arts and crafts.

The French Ministry of Culture defined them as the "handcrafted manual trades" that "make use of traditional, highly technical and often exceptional skills." A large number of economic sectors rely on them, including luxury goods, fashion, architecture and interior design, and these crafts are very popular in the United States.

"In New York, this ecosystem of French arts and crafts is developing strongly, and this project will enable them to shine even more brightly," explained Gaëtan Bruel, a young civil servant who arrived in 2019 to head the cultural services of the French embassy, which he left in October to join the minister of education's staff.

A functional showcase

The majestic Italian neo-Renaissance building on 5^th Avenue, built in the early 20^th century and bought by the French state in the 1950s, is no stranger to welcoming the public. Especially since September 26, 2014, when Albertine, a French bookshop, opened on the ground floor. Its singularity lies in offering French-language books and, above all, French books translated into English. As for the name Albertine, it is a reference to the character in Marcel Proust's novel. This venue has always been a vibrant meeting place.

"We present many French authors who come to do signings and take part in discussions or festivals, either in the bookshop or in the reception areas on the second floor," explained François Bridey, a cultural services attaché at the French embassy. The building is also home to the Villa Albertine program, created in early 2021 at Bruel's instigation to enable young and established French artists from all creative fields to come to the US to carry out a specific project.

But not all spaces of the building were occupied. Especially the top floor, where one of the building's former owners, the wealthy Helen Hay Whitney, liked to write and entertain friends. All that remained of this cozy shelter's former splendor was the terracotta floor with its heraldic motifs and the medieval-inspired painted wooden ceiling. "When I arrived in 2019, I came up with the idea of restoring this room with a French touch and using design as well as craftsmanship to connect French creation and the history of this place," said Bruel. "We therefore launched a consultation in July 2022 to transform it into a functional showcase for French talent."

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