Marked by the sixtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China, ICICLE’s cultural programme for 2024 celebrates the artistic dialogue between the two countries. The ICICLE Cultural Spaces in Paris and Shanghai will host eight French and Chinese artists for a series of cross-cultural exhibitions.
“Life Lines“ by Li Kunwu
20 March – 30 May 2024
ICICLE Cultural Space in Paris
From the 20th of March to the 30th of May 2024, the ICICLE Cultural Space in Paris welcomes Chinese painter and illustrator Li Kunwu. A versatile and self-taught artist, he has worked as a press cartoonist for about thirty years and has published around ten comic books in France, including the black and white trilogy “A Chinese Life“.
At the crossroads between drawing and painting, the exhibition “Life Lines“ showcases a series of recent works created with Indian ink. They depict lively everyday scenes with rich details in various formats.
“Wonderment“ by Ronan Barrot
14 January – 14 April 2024
ICICLE Cultural Space in Shanghai
From the 14th of January to the 14th of April, French artist Ronan Barrot presents his exhibition “Wonderment“ to launch the 2024 season at the ICICLE Cultural Space in Shanghai. Trained at the Beaux-Arts in Paris and in Baselitz’s studio in Berlin, he is recognised for the intensity and emotional power of his painting.
This first exhibition of the artist in China brings together a broad selection of his work created over the past fifteen years, exploring various themes and formats. A dozen new paintings are also being showcased for the first time to the public.
“The Allure of the Brush“ by Benoît Vermander
19 January – 6 March 2024
ICICLE Cultural Space in Paris
From the 19th of January to the 6th of March, the ICICLE Cultural Space in Paris welcomes French painter and sinologist Benoît Vermander to open the 2024 season. Based in Asia for over thirty years, he is among the few European artists trained in Chinese techniques, and has developed an artistic world that blends painting and calligraphy.
His personal exhibition “The Allure of the Brush“ unveils twelve works created between 2020 and 2022 with Chinese brush and ink on rice paper. These paintings are a testament to the continued dialogue between his native and adopted cultures, illustrating values also prized by ICICLE – those of exploration, understanding and acceptance.
Milène Sanchez
May – August 2024
ICICLE Cultural Space in Shanghai
From May to August 2024, the ICICLE Cultural Space in Shanghai invites you to discover the work of Milène Sanchez, an emerging talent in the French contemporary art scene. Trained at the Saint-Étienne School of Art and Design, she superimposes layers of oil paint in her paintings to play with the effects of blurriness and definition. This glazing technique allows her to explore colour and light to create compositions rich in contrast.
Szeto Lap
June – August 2024
ICICLE Cultural Space in Paris
Starting in June, the ICICLE Cultural Space in Paris presents an exhibition dedicated to Chinese painter Szeto Lap. Living in Paris since 1975, he was the first contemporary Chinese artist exhibited at the Centre Pompidou. His charcoal drawings are inspired by Taoist thought and Chinese pictorial tradition, as well as Western philosophy and artistic movements. They depict objects and landscapes where figuration and abstraction become complementary.
Aïda Kébadian
September – October 2024
ICICLE Cultural Space in Shanghai
From September to October, the ICICLE Cultural Space in Shanghai hosts a retrospective of the work of French artist Aïda Kébadian. A self-taught painter, she has created an imaginative and atypical world full of small characters and chimerical animals. Her naive style invites contemplation in paintings and gouaches with vibrant colours.
He Xi
October – November 2024
ICICLE Cultural Space in Paris
From October to November, Chinese painter He Xi exhibits his work at the ICICLE Cultural Space in Paris, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional Chinese painting themes. Trained at the China Academy of Art, he is considered one of the leading masters in the revival of Chinese ink painting. His artwork is infused with humour and mystery, depicting a unique vision influenced by his contemplation on the coexistence between man and nature.
Françoise Pétrovitch
November – December 2024
ICICLE Cultural Space in Shanghai
From November to December, the ICICLE Cultural Space in Shanghai unveils a selection of works by Françoise Pétrovitch. A visual artist and major figure in contemporary art in France, she uses various techniques, from painting to sculpture and video. Her paintings evoke a familiar universe, immersing the viewer in the intimacy of the depicted characters.
PARIS CULTURAL SPACE
35 AVENUE GEORGE V, PARIS 8
OPEN FROM MONDAY TO SATURDAY | 11 AM - 7 PM
FREE ADMISSION
SHANGHAI CULTURAL SPACE
2570 HECHUAN ROAD, MINHANG DISTRICT, SHANGHAI
OPEN FROM MONDAY TO SUNDAY | 10 AM - 8 PM
FREE ADMISSION