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STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHERS CAPTURE SPIRIT OF MODERN FRANCEWorks to be Focus of Los Angeles Gallery Exhibition and National TourismCampaignLOS ANGELES, Calif. (February 26, 2009)

– As part of a cross-cultural educationaland art project, eight U.S. college students were flown to France where theyphotographed their experience of modern French life. They will now have theopportunity to see their work used in a major French tourism advertising campaigncreated by France’s national tourist office, Maison de la France.The innovative project, called

Jeunes Talents

(“young talents”) is intended to capture thespirit of modern France through the eyes of a new generation of American artists. Inaddition to the planned tourism campaign, photographs will be on view at Louis SternFine Arts, 9002 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, in an exhibition also titled

Jeunes Talents

. VIP and press openings are set for Thursday, March 26 from 6:00 to 8:00P.M. The exhibition opens to the general public on Friday, March 27 and runs throughApril 11, 2009.“

Jeunes Talents

is a unique opportunity for French cities to expand their visibility bybeing seen through the eyes of emerging American artists,” states Benoit Chollet,Director, Maison de la France for the Western U.S. “As a ground-breaking initiative thatcombines art and tourism, France and the United States,

Jeunes Talents

is a wonderfulopportunity for young artists to be discovered.”The collection of images is stunning in its array of expression and subject matter.Ranging from surreal to naturalistic in style and covering architecture, portraiture andlandscape in subject material, the images reveal perspectives on contemporary societythat could only have been seen with fresh eyes. Students were given free rein tointerpret the daily life of the city they were assigned, and the result is a radical departurefrom the traditional iconic imagery of France. In its totality, this collection represents asummation of the artist’s feelings and personal understanding of the region that theyvisited. It is a perspective that is by turns enlightening, beautiful and compelling.Participating colleges include three in Los Angeles, California and one in New Orleans,Louisiana. They are

Art Center College of Design

California Institute of the Arts

and

Otis College of Art and Design

in the Los Angeles region, and

Loyola University

in New Orleans. The program is a joint initiative of Maison de la France and FrenchCultural Services in Los Angeles. Other partners include Air Tahiti Nui, Rail Europe andFrance Los Angeles Exchange (FLAX), a Los Angeles foundation dedicated to fosteringa better understanding of France through public and cultural art events.“

Jeunes Talents

is a unique opportunity to open the boundaries of art, creativity andcultural exchange,” states Yann Perreau, Deputy Cultural Attaché, Los Angeles. “Takeeight talented young American photographers. Put them in an unknown environment,