Taverne Gutenberg

Henri Lamy’s path begins with a simple conviction: art should not be hidden away behind closed doors. That feeling took shape for him at 59 Rivoli in Paris, where he spent his formative years as a resident artist and discovered what happens when the public is invited into the raw, unfinished reality of making a painting. Seeing people enter the studio not as consumers but as witnesses changed his way of working for good.

Out of that experience, he co-founded Taverne Gutenberg in Lyon in 2015 with Maïa d’Aboville. A neglected four-story building became a vertical laboratory, a living gallery, and a home for hundreds of creators. People could walk through active studios, speak with artists, and stay close to the mess, labor, and uncertainty of creation. The point was never only to show finished work, but to make the process itself public and shared.

That same spirit later traveled to the Philippines through Ugnayan sa Poblacion, in the old heart of Makati, Manila. There, the Taverne model was adapted through what Henri calls creative urban acupuncture, with a stronger social dimension linking international artists, local residents, and street children. Through murals, workshops, and open exchange, the project showed that art becomes most powerful when it helps rebuild connection.

From Paris to Manila, this journey has shaped Henri Lamy as both painter and cultural builder. He continues to defend spaces where people can feel the smells, sounds, and slow evolution of a work in progress. For him, these places are not just venues. They are social sculptures where art becomes a way to meet, understand, and build something lasting together.

http://www.taverne-gutenberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Presentation-Bringing-Art-to-Burgos-2017.pdf