Six years after her first visit to China, French artist Claire Nicolet has returned to Beijing — this time with a new body of work and a familiar sense of wonder.

In 2019, Nicolet spent a month living in the city's hutong, immersing herself in local life and exploring Beijing's natural and urban textures. One place in particular left a lasting impression: Xihai Lake, a peaceful enclave nestled within the Second Ring Road.

"I loved cycling around that small lake," she recalls. "This tranquil part of the city gave me inspiration in my art works. And it sparked my interest in Chinese culture."

Now, in the height of Beijing's summer — having last visited in the depths of winter — 37-year-old Nicolet is back, accompanied by her recent artworks.

"Coming back and seeing everything I loved about this city is still here, and even more beautiful, feels truly special," she says.

She is one of four artists featured in the opening exhibition of the newly inaugurated Sino-French Cultural Exchange Space at Beijing Language and Culture University.

Titled The Other Within the Self, an exhibition born from travel, encounters and artistic dialogue between France and China, the show brings together the works of Nicolet, fellow French artist Lionel Sabatte, and Chinese artists Cai Yaling and Peng Yong.

The exhibition will run through to Sept 1.

Curated by Christine Cayol, founder of the art platform Yishu 8, housed in the former Sino-French University, the show highlights a shared identity among the four artists: They are all recipients of the Yishu 8 Prize.

"In order to approach another culture, they each embarked on a journey, leaving their home countries to create art in unfamiliar environments," Cayol explains.

Peng and Cai completed residencies in Paris, while Nicolet and Sabatte lived and worked in the heart of Beijing's hutong area, near Yishu 8's headquarters.

"All four artists have experienced both physical and spiritual travel," says Cayol. "They understand the creativity that such journeys can spark. Their works have been shown at prestigious venues, including the Musee Guimet in Paris in 2023 and the National Art Museum of China in the spring of 2024.

"The pieces presented now, through the Alliance Francaise de Pekin, reflect the spirit of openness and dialogue that defines this new space."

The Sino-French Cultural Exchange Space is a collaborative project between Beijing Language and Culture University and the Alliance Francaise de Pekin. Spanning nearly 800 square meters, the center features a variety of functional areas including a Sino-French Friendship exhibition hall, Jixian Hall, a broadcast studio and a French-style garden.

BLCU president Duan Peng describes the center as a new starting point for Sino-French relations.

"Our collaboration with the Alliance Francaise has made a significant contribution to the friendship between our two countries," he says.

"This center will become an important platform and window for exchanges not only between China and France, but also between China and the wider world."

Duan emphasizes that genuine communication and cultural exchange are never one-way processes.

"It is through the mutual gaze between the 'self' and the 'other' that we discover a resonance that transcends borders. This exhibition is an artistic embodiment of that idea."

At the exhibition opening, French Ambassador to China Bertrand Lortholary echoed those sentiments, calling the space a symbol of the strong bilateral relationship and "a successful and unique model of cultural cooperation". He added that the project will further enrich the dialogue and mutual understanding between the two countries.

The Sino-French friendship exhibition hall, operated by the Alliance Francaise de Pekin, will regularly host exhibitions exploring French and francophone cultures as well as cross-cultural relations with China — fostering a new cultural landmark in this vibrant university district — and continuing the dialogue between artists, cultures and ideas.

liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn