Studio Adrien Gardère

The exhibition "KÀIWÙ. Art and Design in China" shows how the spirit of the literati, those intellectuals whose art of living profoundly influenced the aesthetic codes of Chinese art, is perpetuated and transformed in culture and design today.

Works of art, handicrafts and everyday consumer goods, placed on the same level, are part of the traditional conception according to which aesthetics and function merge. This comparison sheds light on the future of China in the 21st century and of contemporary societies.

Conceived by curators Cao Dan, He Jing and Tong Huiming and the Franco-Chinese art agency Doors (Bérénice Angremy and Victoria Jonathan), this exhibition, the first in France to highlight both Chinese design and contemporary art, is presented in the exceptional setting of the Hospice Comtesse Museum.

Playing on the contrast between this historical place and the creations on display, the exhibition's scenography mixes industrial aesthetics and raw materials, echoing the duality of the works of Chinese designers and artists.