PARIS, Oct. 23, 2024 — The “2024 Silk Road Week” concluded on Oct 14 in Paris with the opening ceremony of the exhibition “Charm of the Silk Roads: Chinese Silk Arts” at the Exhibition Hall of Hôtel d’Heidelbach, Musée national des arts asiatiques-Guimet in Paris.

The exhibition, hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and organized jointly by the China National Silk Museum and Nouvel Institut Franco-Chinois, focuses on the cultural communication of Chinese silk skills and the Silk Roads, highlighting the contemporary development of silk art and silk fashion, and reflecting the cultural exchanges between China and France. It will continue to be displayed in L’institut Marangoni, Paris for one month.

More than 100 guests attended the opening ceremony activities, including Alain Labat, Vice President of Nouvel Institut Franco Chinois, Corinne Thépaut-Cabasset, President of the international committee ICOM for the museums and collections of Costume, Fashion and Textiles, Mehrdad Shabahang Project Officer of Silk Roads Programme of UNESCO, Jamel Oubechou, Director of Office Department, Musée Guimet, Paolo Meroni, Director of Education Istituto Marangoni Fashion School, Jiao Tianlong, Vice Director of Bowers Museum (USA), Liu Hongge, Director of the Paris Chinese Cultural Center in Paris, Zhao Cheng, Head of Information Office of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, Chen Guangsheng, Director of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture Radio Television and Tourism, and so forth.

The project “Beyond the Mulberry Fields: China Sericulture Intangible Cultural Heritages” was also demonstrated at the exhibition. Jin Jiahong, the National Master of Arts and Crafts in China, brought her unique Hangzhou-style embroidery. kesi weaving and gold printing were also popular among the visitors.

There were two other major events held concurrently.

The symposium on “Sino-French Fashion Dialogue” focused on the significance and value of museums in fashion and popular culture, and the innovative design based on museum collections. Relevant research experts from museums and universities in China and France, as well as designers from the fashion industry, were invited to share their latest research results and practical experience.

The Fashion Show “Sino-French Fashion Appointment: Silk Road Heritage Innovation Design” used the representative auspicious patterns of the Silk Roads in the Tang Dynasty as design elements.  Design works were solicited from fashion designers worldwide, including Prof. Ji Xiaofen, the director of China National Silk Museum. More than 40 sets of costumes were released on the show, presented by 20 models from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University.

Roads Connect, Civilization blossom. On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, this series of events aims to build a platform of international exchange and cooperation for countries along the Silk Roads, and also a more influential international communication system for Chinese traditional culture.

 

SOURCE China National Silk Museum