A documentary expedition · October 2026
What hands
can tell.
18 months around the world to tell the stories of craftspeople and document exceptional skills.
Europe · Middle East · Africa · Asia · Oceania · Americas
Our conviction
When a craft disappears,
a part of our humanity fades away.
Faced with standardisation, Hylia chooses to take its time: time for encounters, attention and material.
Hylia is a French non-profit organisation working to celebrate craftsmanship and pass on its intangible wealth.
Our goal: to place craftsmanship back at the heart of civic life.
Our founding project will take us into workshops across several continents. We will bring back stories, photographs, films, exhibitions and a book.
18months of reporting
5continents crossed
12+craft skills documented
1living memory to pass on
Our approach
Meet.
Document.
Pass on.
- 01
Take the time
Live at the pace of the craftspeople and understand the human and cultural context behind every gesture.
- 02
Create a record
Photograph, film and collect voices with a sensitive and exacting eye.
- 03
Share widely
Bring these encounters to the public through a book, documentary, exhibition and educational initiatives.
The journey · October 2026 — April 2028
Going the distance,
close to real life.
Twelve stops, twelve craft skills and one shared purpose: taking the time to understand before passing knowledge on.
The journal
Stories of craft
and the road.
The gallery · Dame.photographie
Materials,
hands, faces.
Travel & CraftDiscover the full gallery ↗
Behind Hylia
Two perspectives,
one shared attention.
Photographer · Cultural heritage
Damaris
Trained in art history and cultural patronage, she brings the project its photographic eye and sensitive storytelling.
Writer · Wood craftsman
Montfort
A long-distance traveller with a passion for violin making, he gathers voices and tells the beauty of the right gesture.
“Ardour for Good, hope for Truth, love of Beauty.”
Be part of the adventure
Help us preserve
what hands know.
Every donation directly funds documentation, travel and transmission. As a French public-interest organisation, Hylia allows eligible French taxpayers to deduct 66% of their donation from income tax.
A €100 donationcosts you €34
Support Hylia
Contact us
Behind the scenes
@projet.hylia
Follow the adventure day by day.
Encounters, workshops, faces and roads: discover every stage of the Hylia project on Instagram.
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View @projet.hylia on Instagram