ARTCURIAL CHINA

A NEW STEP IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTCURIAL

12 September 2007

After expanding its activity with the successful launch of ARQANA in 2006, the Artcurial group is now pursuing its development with the creation of Artcurial China, a joint-venture between Artcurial and the couple Bruno Wu and his wife Yang Lan of Sun Media, one of China's leading private media groups.

Artcurial launched ARQANA in July 2006 together with His Highness the Aga Khan. With a turnover of €105m ($140m) in 2006, ARQANA is market leader for yearling auctions in continental Europe.

Artcurial China

Artcurial China's main goal will be to develop both auction activity in continental China, and complementary activities (bookshop, gallery, lectures, exhibitions) on Yongjia Lu, in the French Concession in Shanghai: a venue devoted to Art, along the lines of the Hôtel Dassault in Paris.

Artcurial China will stage its first auction in December 2007, devoted to Chinese Modern & Contemporary Art and featuring an exceptional 1999 work by Chinese artist Chen Yifei (1946-2005): Artist with Beauties (estimate on request).

The auction-firm will be based in a prestigious old house in the French Concession in Shanghai.

The board of Artcurial China will be chaired by Bruno Wu and include Nicolas Orlowski (President of Artcurial), Francis Briest (Vice-President of Artcurial), and Jiang Kiong Er.

The relationship between Artcurial China and Artcurial Paris has been established thanks to the expertise acquired by Hadrien de Montferrand with Artcurial at the Hôtel Dassault in Paris.

The Artcurial Group

Artcurial is active above all in the auction field via Artcurial | Briest - Poulain - F. Tajan, the leading French auction house, based at one of the most prestigious mansions in Paris - the Hôtel Dassault on the Champs-Elysées. A Bookshop, Exhibition Gallery and cultural activities (Lectures and exhibitions) complete the firm's activity. The auction house is chaired jointly by Francis Briest and François Tajan.

The Dassault Group and Michel Pastor figure among Artcurial's principal shareholders, alongside Nicolas Orlowski and Francis Briest. The firm had total sales of €100.5m in 2006, a rise of 29% on 2005.

Artcurial stages around one hundred sales per year in virtually every field: Fine Art; Arts of the 20th Century; Decorative Arts; Vintage Cars; Books; Wine… Artcurial Briest-Le Fur-Poulain-F. Tajan is Europe's n°1 for Design, the n°1 in France for Vintage Cars, and among the leaders for Modern & Contemporary Art.

Bruno Wu

Dr Bruno Wu is Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Sun Media Investment Holdings (SMIH), one of China's leading private media groups, with investment interests in 11 media-related companies in Asia. Its portfolio includes 31 magazine titles, three newspapers, ten TV channels, three websites, and various equity stakes in internet, multimedia products, education and college, sports and racing, and music and entertainment. SMIH currently operates in 15 cities across nine countries and regions.

Dr Bruno Wu received a Diploma of Studies in French Civilization from the University of Savoie, France, in 1987, and graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Culver-Stockton College, Missouri, in 1990. He was awarded an MA in International Affairs from Washington University, Missouri, in 1993, and earned a PhD from Fudan University, Shanghai, in 2001.

Nicolas Orlowski

Nicolas Orlowski, President of the Artcurial Group, is a dynamic entrepreneur with business experience in a number of fields. Convinced of the potential of the world of art and culture, he took control of Artcurial (then a bookshop/gallery) from L’Oréal in 1999, and, with his partners, has rapidly expanded the group's activities, especially in the auction sector.

Francis Briest

Francis Briest is Vice-President of Artcurial and Co-Chairman of the auction firm Artcurial Briest-Le Fur Poulain-F. Tajan. He has been an auctioneer in Paris since 1979, establishing a reputation as leader for modern and contemporary art sales in France. His belief in the immense potential of Paris as an auction center underpinned the creation of Artcurial Briest-Le Fur-Poulain-F. Tajan.

Jiang Qiong Er

Jiang Qiong Er is both artist and designer, practicing from furniture to jewelry, painting to photography.

Jiang Qiong Er was born in Shanghai and grew up in a family of artist-creators. Jiang Qiong Er was a student of the painter Cheng Shi Fa and the calligrapher Han Tian Hong - two leading figures in traditional art - before enrolling at the prestigious TongJi University to study design. Keen to enrich her style with new influences, Jiang Qiong Er chose the Decorative Arts School in Paris to take her first steps as an artist.

“France moved me”. This twin culture has proved an eternal source of inspiration. She recently opened two new venues on the banks of the Suzhou River: the 1000m² N°D Suzhou River Gallery Creation, combining modernity and Chinese tradition through design; and her workshop on Moganshan Lu, displaying her audacious jewels and crafts.

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