French Ambassador Bertrand Lortholary (center) poses for a photo with guests at the exhibition of Desire Disorder in Shanghai on July 5, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of the French Cultural Centre in Beijing

French Ambassador to China Bertrand Lortholary inaugurated Annette Messager's exhibition Desire Disorder at the Power Station of Art, a municipal contemporary art museum in East China's Shanghai on July 5. The French artist also attended the ceremony.

It is Messager's first large-scale solo exhibition in China. It also part of the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism and the 18th edition of Festival Croisements. Launched in 2006, Festival Croisements is the largest French cultural event outside of France and the largest foreign cultural festival in China. 

Featuring more than 70 works spanning various media such as painting, photography, sculpture, and installations, the exhibition reviews Messager's artistic career over the past half-century. It includes some of her celebrated works such as Casino, the Chimères series, Les Dépouilles, and 12 Petites Effigies. These pieces showcase the artist's favored creative techniques, such as transformation, symbolism and the use of dolls.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism was organized, during this period of time, France's diverse and rich culture and China's cultural treasures have been showcased to people from both countries.