World-renowned French artists, including illustrator Gilles Francescano, will attend the China-France Art Masters International Exchange Series in Shekou this week, with the launching ceremony scheduled for Nov. 16 at the Wanxia Commercial Center.

This year marks the third edition of the event, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. 

Organized by Nanshan District Government and hosted by the district’s foreign affairs office and Shekou Subdistrict Office, the event aims to further bolster cultural exchange between Nanshan District and France.

People attending a French corner in Shekou pose for a photo.

During the launching ceremony, there will be a brief wine tasting session featuring wines produced in France, marking the beginning of a series of cultural activities that will continue through the end of this month, such as an exhibition at the Wanxia Commercial Center of classic works by science fiction art masters from China and France. The exhbition, themed on “Prologue to the Future: China-France Science Fiction Art Exhibition,” will also feature original science fiction art creations by the younger generation that reflect their imaginative visions of the future.

Also on Nov. 16, several visiting French artists, including Francescano and Aleksi Briclot, will engage in salon dialogues centered around creativity and imagination with Chinese science fiction writers in Nantou Ancient Town. The salon is intended to serve as a bridge for the exchange and fusion of Eastern and Western ideas.

French illustrator Gilles Francescano.

Initiated in Shekou in November 2018, the China-Frnace Art Masters International Exchange Series has significantly enhanced the vitality and artistic atmosphere of the  Shekou international block, and facilitated the signing of a friendly cooperation memorandum between the French city of Nantes and Shenzhen’s Nanshan District. With the second edition of the event held in 2019, the cultural exchanges between Nanshan and Nantes have become increasingly close.