At the helm of Luxembourg Art Week since March, Mélanie de Jamblinne aims to reinforce the position of Luxembourg’s art scene within the European artistic landscape. This true champion of the arts shares her journey…
“One of my earliest memories is discovering ‘l’Outrenoir‘, standing before the canvases of Pierre Soulages during the major retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in 2009. I experienced an aesthetic shock. The way light reflected through the black. I truly understood, I think, that art could be deeply moving.”
This memory has never left Mélanie de Jamblinne. Nor has the almost raw emotion she felt that day. And with it, the slowly emerging conviction that art would become the guiding thread of her life.
Trained in communications, then in art history and cultural management, the new director of Luxembourg Art Week has followed a rich and eclectic path, consistently driven by a commitment to culture. After a first experience in the private sector, she shifted toward more artistic spheres. “Joining Esch2022 allowed me to fully reconnect with what drives me. The project helped me rediscover Luxembourg’s cultural landscape in all its facets,” she said.
She spent four years forging connections, initiating projects, and developing a demanding vision of the territory, formative period, marked by a growing awareness of art’s power as a vehicle for dialogue. By joining Luxembourg Art Week in 2023, Mélanie de Jamblinne didn’t change course; she refined her focus.
A vision rooted in Luxembourg
As a Luxembourger, Mélanie knows both the strengths and the challenges of the local art scene intimately. “Luxembourg still suffers from a certain lack of cultural visibility internationally, but the artists are here, the institutions are committed, and there is immense diversity.” Her ambition: to highlight this richness, foster lasting bridges and connections, and create new forms of resonances.
She is clear on her vision: Luxembourg Art Week must serve as a platform. An agile structure capable of welcoming international galleries while promoting local initiatives.
“I don’t want to reinvent the wheel, but rather consolidate what’s already been achieved. The fair has grown, now it’s time to stabilise it — while maintaining a human scale — to improve its quality and make November an unmissable event in the European art calendar.”
It’s about striking the right balance between commercial appeal – “a fair is, first and foremost, a marketplace, let’s not forget” – and a broader cultural mission. That ambition translates into a strong commitment to outreach and accessibility. Mélanie mentions the Capsules project and the sculpture trail in public spaces: “It’s essential to meet people where they are, to bring art into their daily lives. Some of yesterday’s visitors had never set foot in a gallery. Now they want to buy an artwork.”
Working in networks, thinking in constellations
Luxembourg Art Week is not just an event; it’s an ecosystem. “We collaborate with the country’s cultural institutions — to name just a few: Mudam, Casino, Konschthal Esch… This collective dynamic is our strength.”
The small but passionate team works year-round to weave connections within the Greater Region and beyond. Metz, Brussels, Paris, Cologne, Trier… The fair now draws collectors from across Europe.It’s also within this framework that she aims to deepen ties with major international institutions, particularly those in the Greater Region. “We need to think in constellations. Luxembourg sits at the crossroads of several worlds. It’s an incredible opportunity — one we must seize,” she says.
An openness to all mediums
While the 2025 programme is still taking shape (calls for projects were still open at the time of the interview — end of May for galleries and the sculpture trail, mid-June for Capsules), Mélanie de Jamblinne is openly committed to broadening the fair’s horizons — including engaging with new technologies.
“Artificial intelligence, NFTs, data… these are tools, new mediums available to artists, much like photography was when it first appeared. They’re not here to replace, but to expand the field of possibilities and open new paths for experimentation. Some artists are using them in truly compelling ways. It’s our mission to create conversations around these topics: we support, we spotlight, but we also explain. We must embrace our role as mediators.”
The Art Talks conference series is one of these spaces for exploration. The fair has recently launched Art Talk Rewind, a podcast to revisit the talks and discussions from the previous edition of the fair. What drives Mélanie de Jamblinne is the desire to share. To resonate. “We sometimes forget that all we do – galleries, fairs, museums – it’s first and foremost for the artists. We’re defending their work. Their perspective. Their voice in the world.”
“We sometimes forget that all we do – galleries, fairs, museums – it’s first and foremost for the artists. We’re defending their work. Their perspective. Their voice in the world”
A quiet pride
Smiling, precise, and confident, Mélanie de Jamblinne doesn’t seek the spotlight. She moves forward with humility, guided by a clear vision. She speaks of her recent exhibition visits in the region. Lisa Oppenheim: Monsieur Steichen at Mudam in Luxembourg, and the newly opened exhibition dedicated to Maurizio Cattelan and the Centre Pompidou’s collection at Centre Pompidou-Metz, Endless Sunday (on view until February 2, 2027). “It’s an exhibition full of surprises, creating a compelling dialogue between around forty of the artist’s works and significant pieces from the collection. It’s a must-see for everyone.”
And when asked where she sees herself in ten years, she answers without hesitation:
“I hope the fair will have grown while staying true to its roots. That it will continue to surprise, to bring people together. And above all, that artists and gallery owners will have found in us a true partner.”
Luxembourg Art Week
November 21 to 23, 2025
Glacis [Fouerplaatz] L-1628 Luxembourg
Art Walk: Sculpture Trail and Capsules
Starting mid-October
City of Luxembourg
This article was published in the 6th edition of Forbes Luxembourg.
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