Established in 2012 with the support of Van Cleef & Arpels, L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts aims to introduce the public to all aspects of jewelry culture through various activities: courses, workshops, talks, exhibitions, research, books and podcast.
Activities at L’ÉCOLE cover three main areas: the history of jewelry, the world of gemstones and the savoir-faire of jewelry-making techniques. The courses are open to everyone, with no prerequisites: complete beginners as well as enlightened amateurs, collectors and those with a curiosity for the world of jewelry. Students experiment with gestures, skills and tools, guided by their lecturers – art historians, gemologists and craftsmen.
L’ÉCOLE now has four permanent addresses: in Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Dubai. In line with its worldwide locations, L’ÉCOLE established its Middle Eastern campus in Dubai at d3 in April 2024.
All proceeds from L’ÉCOLE Middle East’s public courses and talks are donated to Dubai Cares to support youth education programs, underscoring the school’s commitment to social responsibility and youth empowerment. Moreover, since its inception, L’ÉCOLE regularly travels abroad, in Europe, America, Asia and the Middle East, for talks, exhibitions or travelling course programs that can last one to three weeks. L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts therefore contributes to the promotion and visibility of jewelry culture on an international scale.
“POETRY OF BIRDS”
Running until April 25th, 2026, the exhibition showcases an immersive presentation, enabling the discovery of the fascinating world of birds around history, design, craftsmanship, gems and the arts, with a focus on local relevance in Middle East culture. It demonstrates an interchange between birds and various means of expressions depicted through jewels, drawings, antiquities and artifacts; illustrating these universal symbols of beauty, transformation, and transcendence, and how birds have inspired creativity and heritage across centuries. Freely inspired by Farid al-Din Attar’s The Conference of the Birds (circa 1117), this exhibition is conceived as a poetic experience that culminates in contemplation of an aviary of imaginary birds by French jeweler Pierre Sterlé (1905-1978).
In the Middle Eastern culture, birds play a key role and are among the main sources of inspiration in poetry and arts. Organized by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts in Dubai and held in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), the exhibition “Poetry of Birds” displays over one hundred and fifty exceptional creations from over twenty lenders, demonstrating the cross-cultural celebration and the universal symbolism of birds in jewelry, literature, and the arts.
The exhibition showcases an immersive presentation, enabling the discovery of the fascinating world of birds around history, design, craftsmanship, gems and the arts, with a focus on local relevance in Middle East culture. It demonstrates an interchange between birds and various means of expressions depicted through jewels, drawings, antiquities and artifacts; illustrating these universal symbols of beauty, transformation, and transcendence, and how birds have inspired creativity
and heritage across centuries.
Exceptional jewelry alongside precious objects and gouaché drawings from the most renowned jewelers such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Buccellati, Falize, Fabergé, Boivin, Marchak, JAR and more, are presented along with a selection of Middle Eastern works of art – notably on loan from the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilizations, Dubai Museums and private collectors such as Emirati Film Director Abdullah Al Kaabi – including carpets, ceramics, metalware and calligraphy. A selection of contemporary photographs from Emirati photographer Faisal Alrais, allowing visitors to appreciate the beauty and depth of meanings in birds’ representations in the Middle East and around the world.
The exhibition’s scenography immerses visitors in a sensory experience deconstructing the essence of colors as a bird takes flight, from brown to green and blue. The exhibition opens with a poem by the poet and author Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008), highlighting the spiritual dimension of birds, and unfolds in four sequences.
Lise Macdonald, President of L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts considers that
“The mission of L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts is to share jewelry knowledge and culture in all art forms. We are delighted to bring ‘Poetry of Birds’ to the Middle East for the first time, a unique exhibition showcasing exceptional jewelry craftsmanship, history, poetry and calligraphy around a fascinating form of nature, the bird. This is a truly special moment for the region’s community to explore the intersection of jewelry, art, and culture”.