France and China: A Dialogue of Craftsmanship

中法艺术大师匠心对话，

探索跨文化的传承创新与当代表达

On October 27, the conference titled “Dialogue of Craftsmanship: Masters’ Salon” was held as part of the Cultural Heritage Fair at the Carrousel of the Louvre Museum.

The year 2024 is particularly significant as it marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France. This collaboration has led to a substantial strengthening of ties between Nanjing and France, encompassing various fields such as culture, tourism, commerce, and education.

2024年10月27日， “匠心对话·大师沙龙”的中法对话活动在卢浮宫的文化遗产博览会期间举行。2024年是中法国建交60周年，南京与法国之间的合作，涵盖了文化、旅游、商业和教育等多个领域。

The exhibition “Weaving the World Together” was featured at the International Cultural Heritage Fair, which took place at the Carrousel of the Louvre from October 24 to 27, 2024. This conference was a highlight of the event and aligned with Nanjing Week in Paris, celebrating the enriching cultural exchanges between the two cities.

This gathering brought together distinguished figures from the realms of craftsmanship and design, including Zhang Ming, Director of the Industrial Design Academy at Nanjing University of the Arts; Ugo Gattoni, a renowned French graphic designer and illustrator; Chen Cheng, heir to the Nanjing brocade weaving tradition; and Emmanuel Pénicaut, Director of Collections at the Mobilier National of France.

During the event, these experts shared their collaborative experiences. They explored the innovation of heritage and contemporary expression across cultures, thereby opening new avenues for Sino-French cultural interaction. This dialogue not only deepened mutual understanding of craftsmanship practices but also laid the groundwork for future cooperation between the two countries in this artistic domain.

“与世界共经纬”主题艺术展览参加了2024年10月24日至27日在卢浮宫举行的国际文化遗产博览会。此次对话是展览活动的一个重要时刻，也是在巴黎举办的南京周的一部分，旨在促进中法文化之间的理解与交流。

此次对话汇聚了中法手工艺和设计领域的杰出人士，包括“与世界共经纬”主题艺术展联合策展人、南京艺术学院教授张明、法国插画师、巴黎奥运会官方海报设计师乌戈·加东尼、南京云锦木机妆花手工织造技艺代表性传承人陈诚，以及法国国家家具文物局收藏馆馆长玛纽埃勒·佩尼考特。专家分享了他们的合作经验，讨论了遗产创新与不同文化中的当代表达，从而为中法文化互动开辟了新的视角。此次讨论不仅丰富了对中法手工艺实践的相互理解，也为两国在这一艺术领域的未来合作奠定了基础。

A Millennia-Old Chinese Heritage

Nanjing brocade, commonly known as Yunjin, is a true gem of Chinese cultural heritage, recognized on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2009. This exceptional craftsmanship ranks among the pinnacle of Chinese textile art. In the exhibition, traditional techniques seamlessly blend with modern design. Chen Cheng, head of the Yunjin Museum and heir to this ancestral technique, elaborated on the creative concept:

云锦 -千年中国遗产

南京的锦缎，通常被称为云锦，是中国文化的真正瑰宝，自2009年起被联合国教科文组织列入人类非物质文化遗产名录。这一卓越的技艺在中国纺织艺术中占据了重要地位，在此次展览中，云绵传统技艺与现代设计和谐结合，云锦博物馆馆长、南京云锦代表性传承人陈诚解析了展示作品的创作理念：

“The garment of Empress Xiaoduanxian, wife of Emperor Wanli, has been reconstructed. This outfit showcases iconic features of Ming dynasty costumes and represents one of the oldest and most refined forms of Yunjin, reflecting the elegance and exceptional craftsmanship of that era. We aspire to merge this ancestral technique with contemporary fashion. For the evening gown, the lower part is primarily crafted from Yunjin. We ensured that the essential characteristics of this fabric are preserved: although flat, it exudes a strong dimensionality and richness of levels. Additionally, we incorporated several artisanal techniques. These embroideries provide both visual and tactile dimensions, creating a striking relief. Thus, we give birth to a unique piece that combines the traditional Yunjin technique with contemporary art and fashion.”

“我们重现了明朝万历皇帝的孝端显皇后的祈福服装。这件衣服展示了明代服饰的标志性特征，代表了云锦最古老和最精致的形式之一，见证了那个时代的优雅与卓越技艺。同时我们希望将这一古老技艺与当代时尚融合。现代晚礼服的下半部分主要采用云锦制作，保留了云锦的基本特征：虽然平坦，但展现出强烈的立体感和丰富的层次感。此外，我们还融入了多种手工艺技术，提供了视觉和触觉的双重维度，创造出引人注目的立体效果。因此将传统云锦技艺与当代艺术和时尚相结合，我们创造出了一件独特的作品。”

A Meeting of Worlds

Ugo Gattoni is the designer of the posters for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He is known for his exceptional ability to merge the real and the fantastic, offering visual experiences that are both familiar and mysterious. In this exhibition, his work is reinterpreted through the Yunjin technique, adding a unique dimension to his art.

He shared his collaborative experience: “This collaboration has resulted in astonishing works. The ‘Yunjin Tapestry’ symbolizes the meeting of worlds. It was primarily an opportunity to deepen my understanding of their weaving method and unique craftsmanship. It is truly a beautiful experience, enriching both artistically and culturally!”

不同世界的交汇

巴黎奥运会官方海报设计师乌戈·加东尼常常以杰出的能力将现实与幻想融合，展现出既熟悉又神秘的视觉体验。在此次展览中，他的作品通过云锦技艺重新诠释，为他的艺术创作增添了独特的效果。他分享了这次合作体会： “这次合作创造了令人惊叹的作品。《云锦挂毯》象征着世界之间的相遇，这次合作加深我对云锦的织造方法和独特技艺理解，真的是一次美好的体验，在艺术和文化上都极具启发性！”

A Link Between France and China

Zhang Ming, Director of the Industrial Design School at Nanjing University of the Arts and curator of the exhibition, explained the concept behind this initiative:

“The common thread of our exhibition is to use textiles as a link between Chinese and French cultures. Our theme refers to the very structure of textiles, which relies on warp and weft threads. In addition to showcasing royal silks comparable to those of the Palace of Versailles, we also wish to highlight Nanjing cotton. Before the 18th century, Nanjing cotton was considered the highest quality cotton in the world. As for Yunjin, it is the only textile that cannot be fully reproduced mechanically. We have displayed numerous innovative creations, ranging from gilding to folding fans, as well as various Yunjin products. We hope that through this exhibition, we can enhance cultural understanding and intercultural exchanges, thereby contributing to making the world a better place.”

增加法国与中国的联系

南京艺术学院工业设计学院院长、展览策展人张明概括了此次展览的理念：“ 策展的主要思路是用纺织品作为连接中国与法国文化的纽带。我们的主题叫“与世界共经纬”，因为所有的纺织品都有经线和纬线。除了展示与凡尔赛宫一样有价值的皇家丝织品外，我们也想提到南京棉布。在18世纪之前，南京棉布是世界上最高品质的棉织品，因此我们称之为“布之巅”。而云锦是唯一不能完全用机械复制的纺织品。我们展示了许多创新的作品，从金箔到折扇，再到云锦等各种各样的产品。我们希望通过这一展览，增进文化认知和文化交流，这样世界就会变得更加美好。

A Dialogue Between Cultures

Emmanuel Pénicaut, Director of Collections at the Mobilier National, expressed his desire to learn from China, engage in fruitful dialogue, and collaborate on joint exhibitions. For him, the city of Lyon, recognized as the “European capital of silk,” and Nanjing embody the excellence of weaving arts.

He stated: “We currently have several exhibitions in China, notably in Shanghai. We are actively working on partnerships to establish meaningful connections between France and China. It is particularly interesting to present an exhibition dedicated to silk in a city like Nanjing, renowned for its silk history. This creates a beautiful synergy between French and Chinese cultures.”

创造文化之间的对话

法国国家家具文物局收藏馆馆长埃马纽埃尔·佩尼考特表达了希望理解中国、进行富有成效的对话以及合作举办联合展览的愿望。他认为里昂被誉为“欧洲丝绸之都”，而南京则体现了纺织艺术的卓越。他表示：“我们目前在中国有多个展览，尤其是在上海。我们正在积极寻求建立法国与中国之间有意义的合作伙伴关系。在南京这样一个以丝绸闻名的城市举办专门的丝绸展览，这为法中两国文化之间创造了美好的协同效应。”

Redefining Yunjin

Through a Contemporary Lens

Designer Huanchen, creator of the evening gown incorporating Yunjin elements, also shared his experience: “When designing this evening gown, our intention was to redefine Yunjin through a contemporary lens. One of the striking features of Yunjin is its ability to use a variety of complex threads, ranging from silk threads to golden threads, even peacock feather threads, to create a unique and vibrant visual effect. This effect cannot be reproduced by ordinary prints or jacquards. In terms of technique, we integrated brocade, seeking to restore the charm of the Yunjin fabric itself, allowing the material to speak for itself. As designers, our role is to step back to highlight the uniqueness of Yunjin.”

通过当代视角重新定义云锦

设计师黄晨分享了他在设计融入云锦元素的晚礼服时的经验：“在我们最初设计这款晚礼服时，初衷是希望用当代的视角和简洁的视角来重新塑造云锦。云锦的一个显著特点是它能够使用多种复杂的丝线，金线甚至孔雀羽毛线，通过结合多种材质以创造出独特且绚丽的视觉效果。这种效果是无法通过普通的印花或提花所替代的。在工艺方面，我们力求还原云锦本身的面料魅力，让面料本身“说话”。作为设计师，我们的角色是退而求其次，以突出云锦的独特魅力。”

Paper Folding

In the captivating exhibition « Weaving the World Together, » artist Huang Xiaoxian unveiled stunning masterpieces: a dragon and a phoenix, both intricately crafted from a single square sheet of two-colored paper. This extraordinary technique, which requires no cuts or additional materials, showcases the remarkable art of paper folding and highlights the artist’s exceptional ingenuity. Each fold tells a story, transforming a simple piece of paper into a breathtaking representation of cultural symbolism and artistic expression.

折纸

在“与世界共经纬”展览中，黄晓娴展示了令人惊叹的作品：一条龙和一只凤凰，都是用一张方形的双色纸精心折制而成的。这种非凡的技术，无剪裁无上色无加纸，出色地展示了折纸艺术和艺术家的独创性。

Moments of Sharing

The exhibition “Weaving the World Together” aims to push the boundaries of expression in traditional arts and crafts. The event truly captivated visitors, immersing them in a world rich in colors, textures, and emotions. Experts from various sectors were present, and the vibrant atmosphere sparked both curiosity and admiration, transforming this exhibition into an unforgettable and significant moment.

分享的时刻

“与世界共经纬”主题艺术展旨在拓展传统工艺艺术的表达界限。此次活动让观众沉浸在一个充满色彩、质感和情感的世界中。来自各个领域的专家们出席了此次活动，充满活力的氛围引发了大家好奇与赞叹，使这次展览成为一个难忘而重要的时刻……