A photography exhibition showcasing intercultural understanding and cultural exchanges between China, France, and Europe opened on Saturday at Beijing Language and Culture University, giving Beijing’s educational, cultural and diplomatic communities a chance for cross-cultural dialogue.
The inauguration ceremony of "Photographic Gaze on Chinese, French and European Cultures" was attended by the university's president, representatives from the French Embassy in China, exhibiting photographers, and guests from cultural and artistic circles.
"We are delighted to see that this space has truly become a meeting point for French and Chinese cultures, fulfilling its founding mission: to bring civilizations together and to foster the confrontation of diverse ideas. Today, our gaze extends further. This photo exhibition broadens the horizons of human exchanges beyond China and France, to include the European Union as well. Sixty carefully selected works depict the human faces, daily lives, and natural beauty of China, France, and EU member states," said Duan Peng, President of Beijing Language and Culture University.
As France celebrates photography's bicentenary, the exhibition highlights its enduring power to bridge cultures.
"This exhibition carries special resonance, as 2026 marks the bicentenary of photography in France. Two centuries after the early experiments that led to the invention of this art form, this anniversary invites us to reflect on the essential role photography plays in our understanding of the world. As art, as testimony, as memory, as a universal language, it allows us to cast a sensitive eye over our societies and to better grasp our cultures," said Florent Aydalot, minister counselor for cultural, educational and scientific affairs at the Embassy of France in China.
The exhibition is divided into three sections—China, France, and Europe—each presenting a unique cultural mosaic. From Chinese steppes and deserts to lively folk festivals, from French monuments and street scenes to ceremonial events and everyday life in Europe, the collection as a whole paints a rich, vibrant intercultural panorama.
"There are some exceptionally talented photographers here. Photography, as an art form, is one of the few ways to let others see through your eyes. So being exposed to these different perspectives, whether Chinese or European, is a truly wonderful opportunity to discover how people perceive the world and understand each other's cultures," said Aaron Berkovich, one of the exhibiting photographers.
For one visitor, the exhibition is more than a collection of images—it is a visual dialogue between cultures.
"For me, the visual is a real connection between two countries, between two cultures. It is the photographers' vision, but also the vision of the cultural background each of us carries. There are the gazes from one side, and the gazes from the other: gazes that are much more natural, much more social, much more architectural, or even the way we perceive light—because that, too, is our way of seeing," said Fuentes Franklin, a visitor.
Under the sign of friendship between the Chinese and French peoples, the exhibition highlights exchanges and coexistence among different cultures, bearing witness to the sincere friendship between the two nations.
Photography exhibition on China-France-Europe cultural exchanges opens in Beijing
Photography exhibition on China-France-Europe cultural exchanges opens in Beijing
