Shanghai-Paris multimedia exhibition links memories of two cities

A multimedia exhibition titled "Our Water, Our City: Moving Image Exhibition & Art Week" kicked off the latest cultural dialogue between Shanghai and Paris on Friday in Paris, shining a light on the waterfront developments of both cities through centuries of historical footage.

"I'd like to appreciate Shanghai for bringing the Suzhou River to Paris. We also hope to bring the Seine River to Shanghai and China through this project," said Manuela Padoan, managing director of Gaumont-Pathe Archives, expressing anticipation for this cross-city multimedia exchange during the opening ceremony. The exhibition will tour other French cities.

Simultaneously, the Shining Shanghai 2024 International Light Art Competition was announced globally, inviting artists worldwide to co-create digital light artworks illuminating Shanghai's night skyline.

Visitors are guided on a century-spanning journey through four chapters of the origin of water, by the water, the beauty of water, and riverside people. Audiences can observe elements coexisting with the Suzhou River in Shanghai and the Seine River in Paris — from the water itself to ships, bridges and the communities residing along their banks, and explore the cultural connections between the two waterfront cities over time.

Early films along both rivers are featured in the first two chapters, including the 1897 Panorama des rives de la Seine by the Lumiere Brothers and the 1898 Shanghai Scene by Thomas A. Edison's company.

The third section spotlights individuals who witnessed and participated in the transformation of the urban and riverfront landscapes. The last chapter offers a multimedia spectacle blending digital light art and urban memory, with a miniature model and videos offering a glimpse of the revitalized Suzhou River scenery today.

Numerous documentary screenings and cross-cultural dialogues are scheduled during the exhibition, introducing works about the two cities.

The opening day featured a screening hosted by Professor Yuan Xiaoyi from East China Normal University, with a panel discussion involving Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Professor Liu Shilin, Belgian scholar Charles Lagrange, and Cyrille Lollivier from Gaumont-Pathe Archives on topics including rivers and cities and multimedia's role in preserving urban heritage.

This exhibition is a part of the project "Our Water: Flowing from Shanghai — Intercultural Dialogues among World Cities" at its first stop in Paris, which aims to deepen China-France cultural cooperation and celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties through cross-city dialogues focused on areas such as ecological governance, urban planning, humanities, arts and socioeconomics under the guidance of Information Office of Shanghai Municipality.