As part of Grasse Perfume Week, the “Bleus de Chine” exhibition will be held at the Palais des Congrès in Grasse from July 3 to 5, 2025. This unique project brings together contemporary Chinese photography and olfactory creation, all centered around one emblematic color: blue. Presented by centdegrés, the international creative agency, in collaboration with Evidences, a collective of emerging photographic talents from around the world, and KeYi, a Franco-Chinese consulting firm, this sensory installation pays tribute to the richness of exchanges between France and China.
Why did you choose blue as the exhibition’s guiding thread?
Blue is both universal and symbolic. In China, it is associated with peace, prosperity, and harmony—deeply rooted values in the culture. It adorns the tiles of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, endures through the centuries in Ming ceramics, and evokes the sky and the renewal of spring. In France, it’s a symbol of elegance, dreams, and freedom. Blue resonates emotionally between our two cultures. It became clear that it could serve as the poetic thread of an artistic and olfactory journey. Perfume is a universal language—olfactory art as a bridge between cultures, a global connector. We are convinced that there is no better place for dreaming, traveling, and creating than the international and historic capital of fragrance.
What makes “Bleus de Chine” unique in the world of olfactory exhibitions?
It is a sensory, artistic, and cultural exhibition, but also deeply human. We invited 12 emerging Chinese photographers to explore their environment through the lens of blue. Each photographic vision was then interpreted by Meng Gu, a perfumer at Robertet—whom I sincerely thank—who created 12 exclusive olfactory compositions inspired by these images. These 12 creations form a “terrestrial” journey through China, with each fragrance representing a different city. It’s a dual, emotional narrative where photography inspires scent, and vice versa. The project is the result of a collective effort between three entities—Evidences, KeYi, and centdegrés—all committed to fostering artistic dialogue between France and China. This “celestial” journey through the blues of China is truly a team effort!
What was Robertet’s contribution to this adventure?
It was essential. Robertet, a legendary Grasse-based company, gave Meng Gu, a talented young Chinese perfumer, the opportunity to create a work of great sensitivity. The project “12-12: Time & Space,” which she composed for the exhibition, is a personal, subtle, and generous exploration: each fragrance becomes an extension of an image, an olfactory interpretation of a city, a moment, an emotion. It’s a true sensory experience born from a rare artistic dialogue between China and France. We aim to break down barriers! Fragrance is above all a meeting of specific cultures—sometimes they clash, often they connect—but it’s also a passport to the world. And if all roads lead to Rome, then surely, all perfumes lead to Grasse!
Does the Chinese perfume market influence this kind of project?
Yes, very directly. The Chinese perfume market is undergoing rapid transformation—it is becoming more demanding, more narrative-driven, and more emotionally engaged. Younger generations seek creations with meaning, stories that go beyond a simple olfactory signature. “Bleus de Chine” fits perfectly within this trend: it’s a powerful artistic statement that combines photography, fragrance, and contemporary culture. It also reflects how China is no longer just a consumer, but a creator and key player in artistic perfumery.
What would you like visitors to take away from “Bleus de Chine”?
That creativity knows no borders. That art, fragrance, and photography can be delicate bridges between cultures. This project is above all a meeting of Chinese talent and French savoir-faire—a tribute to what our two countries hold most dear: transmission, emotion, and the beauty of craftsmanship. Blue, the thread of this exhibition—the raw materials, human work, and nature’s gifts—is an invitation to contemplation and dialogue. It is a color of connection, of breath, of the future. It’s a color that calls for creation—or better yet, for co-creation!
📍 Practical informations – Please note that you will need a Grasse Perfume Week ticket to access this exhibition – Go to ticketing
📅 3 to 5th July 2025
📍 Palais des Congrès of Grasse – 22 cours Honoré Cresp
🕙 From 10am to 6h30 pm
