A press conference introducing six artists from France was held Monday to "warm up" the upcoming 13th Guangzhou International Art Fair. (Lifeofguangzhou.com)

A press conference introducing six artists from France was held Monday to "warm up" the upcoming 13th Guangzhou International Art Fair, which is to be launched this Thursday in the city's Jinhan Complex.

This the fourth time for Mr. Eric Fantou, planner for the international region of the fair, to participate in the Guangzhou Art Fair since he joined the event three years ago.

Fantou said he has been introducing French art and artists to the Chinese people for over ten years, and is surprised every year by the Guangzhou market. "People from these two countries have so much to share with each other," Fantou said. "We both like to have big dinners with family members; we both have similar literature and proverbs; and we both are fun-loving and welcoming."

Of the six artists, half of them are in China for the first time, including painter Olivier, art book editor Philippe Chauueau and gallery owner Francois Giraudeau. They all come with high hopes, as well as a bit of uncertainty due to the current financial crisis occurring throughout the world.

But as Fantou himself said, "This is not only for trading art works. It's also for the promotion, education and development of international contemporary art."

(by Carrot Chan, Stephen Roach)

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Editor: Chen Minjie