Collaborations center on in-depth dialogue across cultures

On the third floor of the Museum of Art Pudong in Shanghai, visitors first encounter a nearly 10-meter-tall totem sculpture. Thousands of hand-formed nylon components stack layer upon layer, with silk threads and plumage interweaving imagery from Chinese mythology while the warmth of handwork lingers in the light and shadow.

Co-created over a year by Chinese artist Wu Jian'an and Lemarie, one of le19M creative hub's resident Maison d'art, the piece serves as a vivid footnote to the cross-cultural encounter at the heart of the ongoing la Galerie du 19M Shanghai.

La Galerie du 19M Shanghai, a new international project by Chanel's le19M, runs through Nov 15. Marking le19M's first large-scale presentation in China, the exhibition brings together 11 Maisons d'art and over 20 Chinese and French artists, centered on the core exhibition A Sense of Touch, for an in-depth dialogue across cultures, art and craftsmanship.

Alongside the core group exhibition, the presentation also features Lesage, 100 Years of Fashion and Decoration, a retrospective of the iconic embroidery house and a long-standing Chanel partner founded in 1924.

Unlike traditional craft exhibitions that present techniques as static displays, this project is framed as a dialogue rather than a showcase. Curated by an editorial committee of four creative voices — Gong Yan, Lin Tianmiao, Zhang Lei, and Christelle Kocher — the team reviewed over 200 creator portfolios before selecting more than 20 Chinese and French artists to create 17 brand-new works commissioned exclusively for the exhibition.

"When they come together, they form a vivid, interwoven dialogue between two cultures, both of which hold openness as one of their deepest strengths. What hands carry is far more than know-how; it is ultimately a way of being in the world," says Kocher, artistic director of Lemarie.

In her view, the exhibition is not about exporting French craft but fostering an equal encounter between two cultures.