Neo-Chinese Aesthetic: The Business Strategy Behind Cultural Re-Export
The concept of « New Chinese Style » was proposed by the renowned Chinese architect Liang Sicheng. Initially, it was mainly applied in the field of architecture. With the rise of the « national style », the style of « New Chinese Style » is no longer limited to the field of architecture; it also has applications in accessories and clothing. Read more
Book Covers: The end of a French cultural exception?
On Tuesday, November 4, after a month of deliberations, the Goncourt Prize is finally announced. Almost immediately, bookshop windows fill with the same volume: a white cover, framed by a thin blue border, bearing only a few words: La Maison vide, Laurent Mauvignier. Yet, for some years now, something new has been added. A half-jacket in Read more
Beyond the Red Carpet: The Business of Film Festivals
In May 2023, I attended the Cannes Film Festival for the first time, thanks to a “cinéphile” accreditation that I obtained through Audencia’s film association Les Hallucinés. We were a group of ten students heading to one of the most famous cultural events in the world, and everything looked exactly like I had imagined. Red carpets, Read more
TV Series as a Reflection of Daily and Societal Anxieties
For a long time, TV series were perceived as simple entertainment. We watched them to pass the time, relax after a day’s work, or escape from the everyday. Today, this view is increasingly outdated. Some series no longer simply seek to entertain: they disturb, question, and sometimes leave the viewer with a profound sense of Read more
Blood antiquities: The complicity of western museums in the Syrian conflict
When we think of war, we think about destruction. However, there is often a silent war against memory. The conflict that ravages Syria since 2011 has not only tragically displaced and killed millions, but has also erased a good part of Syrian’s historical heritage, that is to say the cradle of civilization. This allowed the Read more
The Louvre heist: how 7 minutes shook the world of cultural heritage
Thieves stole Empress Eugénie’s necklace from the Louvre in seven minutes, exposing critical security gaps. The theft shattered more than glass – it violated the artworks’ « aura » that Walter Benjamin described. These jewels are vessels of national memory; their loss erases pages from France’s material autobiography. The treasures will likely be disassembled, their provenance destroyed. Despite planned security upgrades, implementation failed. While technology like microtagging helps, true protection requires treating heritage as shared identity rather than power symbols. The empty display case reminds us that value lies not in carats, but in memory – making vigilance an act of collective care. Read more
Le Voyage en Hiver, much more than just a Christmas market!
Since last Saturday, the buildings of Nantes are shining, new sculptures have appeared in the streets and people are wandering from cottage to cottage with cups filled with mulled wineat Place Royale. It’s the beginning of the winter, and most importantly, the beginning of Le Voyage en Hiver (Winter’s journey)! In fact, this colourful and Read more
Death of albums or death of our attention span?
25, Super Trouper, Hit Me Hard and Soft, Igor or American Idiot, I could go on and on about my personal iconic albums. What about you? When was the last time you found yourself listening to a full-length album of an artist, with no break or song skipped? This may sound like an odd question Read more
From La Dolce Vita to La Grande Bellezza: Fifty Years of Italian Splendor and Melancholy
Italian cinema has always possessed a rare gift: the ability to turn life itself into a spectacle, and the spectacle into a meditation on life. From Il Sorpasso to 8½, from La Dolce Vita to Cinema Paradiso, Malèna, and La Grande Bellezza, we travel through more than half a century of Italian history and yet, Read more
A concert for students that highlights the saxophone
On Wednesday 5 November, the Pays de la Loire National Orchestra (ONPL) gave its special student concert to mark the start of the season. The programme featured over an hour of classical music without an interval, exclusively for students who filled the concert hall at La Cité des Congrès, attracted by the chance to listen Read more