A partnership between the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris and the Zao Wou-Ki Foundation, launched in 2022, provides for the awarding of four scholarships per year, intended to support the artistic careers of French and Chinese students and graduates of the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris and the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou.
A 2023 graduate of the Beaux-Arts de Paris, Milana Gabriel is a recipient of the third edition of the Zao Wou-Ki Foundation’s post-graduate fellowships. This financial support enables her to conduct artistic and anthropological research in China focused on kites. Several residencies, notably in Weifang and Hangzhou, have allowed her to participate in kite-making workshops, gatherings, festivals, and exhibitions—all of which provide opportunities to engage with artisans, engineers, artists, collectors, and researchers.
These excellent working conditions have allowed the young artist, who has a very international profile, to refine her knowledge of the symbolism and craftsmanship of kites and to participate in prestigious events: “When Sea Becomes Clouds” at the By Art Matters Museum in Hangzhou (October 26–February 27), the Yucatán Biennial in Mexico (November 26), and the International Kite Festival in Berck, France (April 27).
The winners of the two previous editions are: Swann Ronné, a 2021 graduate, who will participate in a residency followed by an exhibition at the Galaxy Museum in Chongqing in 2023 and 2024, and Arthur Dujols-Luquet, a 2023 graduate, two semesters in Hangzhou in 2024 and 2025—one as part of a program at the China Academy and the other in residence at the 404 Cultural Center—to refine his practice in drawing, dance performance, and video.
