In Jeu de main, Waltter Mahlberg, a modern craftsman from Helsinki, shows work alongside Max Funkat, Uta studio, Ambet Manalo, Nathan Vrebos and Robin Berrewaerts. Wood serves as the common thread of the exhibition, exploring the relationship between hand, material and form.
The Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux is delighted to support Mahlberg’s participation at WONDER Festival 2026, 27.10–8.11.2026.
Jeu de main, Broel Tower North, Broelkaai, Kortrijk
The venues part of WONDER Festival are open 9:00–18:00 CET (27.10–30.10), and 10.00–18:00 CET (31.10–8.11, closed on 2.11), unless stated otherwise on the festival website.
Entry to the festival is free but you can decide if you’d like to contribute upon registration.
Jeu de main
The term ‘jeu de main’ refers to the skilled, sensitive and intelligent use of the hands during the creative process. It describes a form of embodied knowledge, in which gestures, techniques, rhythm and control are developed through practice and experience. The designers engage in an ongoing dialogue with the material: they respond, adapt and refine. In this sense, making is a process of thinking through doing, in which skill resides as much in the hand as in the mind.
Jeu de main brings together designers and makers who work with wood from different perspectives, ranging from precise and controlled interventions to rough and organic transformations. The exhibition explores how making is a matter of form, touch, rhythm and decision-making. It features work by Waltter Mahlberg, Max Funkat, Uta studio, Ambet Manalo, Nathan Vrebos and Robin Berrewaerts, each of whom offers their own perspective on the relationship between hand, material and form.
Wood serves as a common thread throughout the exhibition, presenting both limitations and possibilities. Whether it is carved, assembled, bent or laminated, it offers a material language that is both familiar and open. For the participating designers, wood is a natural and logical choice, not only because of its workability, but also because of its presence in everyday contexts.
The diversity of ‘jeu de main’ is reflected in the way the designers have sourced and worked their material: from reused elements and industrial waste streams to solid wood. This versatility manifests itself both in the techniques employed and in the diversity of the objects produced, ranging from small bowls, candlesticks and planters to tables, chairs and cupboards.
Waltter Mahlberg
Waltter Mahlberg is a modern craftsman from Helsinki, Finland. Waltter creates sculptural objects, functional furniture and mixture of them both, and is keen on both traditional craftsmanship and modern production methods. His artistic work emphasises the relationship and presence between maker and material. The core of his practice is constant conversation with the material and form. He is especially interested in how to express movement that is embodied in material itself.
WONDER festival
From 27 October to 8 November 2026, WONDER Festival will transform the centre of Kortrijk, a UNESCO City of Design, into a vibrant journey of discovery through design, technology, art and innovation.
WONDER Festival, an initiative of Designregio Kortrijk, is a unique, vibrant platform and connector for the creativity and innovative ideas of emerging talent and established names, both nationally and internationally. In a world that speeds, yells and grinds, creative minds provide a counterbalance. They encourage reflection, foster open-mindedness and boldly inspire us towards a better future.
Following a successful edition in 2025, which attracted over 18,000 visitors, WONDER continues to grow into a leading platform for creativity and imagination.
Visit the WONDER Festival website.
Cover image: Waltter Mahlberg. Photo by Henri Vogt for Habitare.