Since her first visit to China two years ago, Macdonald has held a strong interest in Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera. A year and a half ago, she and her colleagues at L'ECOLE in China launched a research project on stage jewelry used in Peking Opera.

While research is at the core of its activities, the institution aims to share its outcomes with the public. "Our mission is to look at jewelry culture from different periods and countries. In Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dubai and Paris, we study jewelry to determine their culture and local relevance. Then, we show them to the public in China, and eventually, the world," she says.

L'ECOLE was founded in Paris in 2012 and now has four permanent locations — Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai, along with a new site in Dubai.

This exhibition is a special event of the 19th Festival Croisements, which launched in 2006 with the support of the French embassy. It was the first foreign arts festival in China.

The exhibition not only showcases the artistic charm of French stage jewelry but also aims to deepen dialogue and mutual understanding between Chinese and French cultures through the artistic spirit common between the two countries, says Joan Valadou, consul general of France in Shanghai.

Contact the writer at zhangkun@chinadaily.com.cn