The Smurfs, created by the Belgian cartoonist Peyo in 1958, are celebrating their 65th anniversary in Guangzhou! A special exhibition "From Paper to the Metaverse – Special Exhibition of Smurfs' 65th Anniversary" kicked off on August 4 at the Guangzhou Cultural & Art Center, displaying the stories behind and history of this comic franchise.

(Photo provided to GDToday)

This exhibition is a cultural cooperation between the Consulate General of Belgium in Guangzhou and the Guangdong Cartoon Artists Association.

In 1983, the animated TV series The Smurfs was introduced to China by Guangdong Television. Moreover, the "Song of the Smurfs", the widely circulated and well-known theme song in Chinese, is a local product of Guangzhou, created by the collaboration of two art masters, Qu Cong (瞿琮) and Zheng Qiufeng (郑秋枫). Ever since, the Smurfs, with their catchy tune, have become well-known animated characters in China, providing childhood memories for several generations of audiences.

(Photo provided to GDToday)

This special link between the Smurfs and Guangdong will be demonstrated at the exhibition. Meanwhile, visitors will better understand the stories of Peyo, how he created the whole Smurf world from a piece of paper, and how the Smurfs move from comic frames to television screens and continue their adventures in the 3D generation. On display here are also 12 pieces of animation celluloid from The Smurfs TV series collection at the Guangzhou JC Animation Museum, each of which is a unique treasure.

Collection from JC Cartoon Art Museum (Photo provided to GDToday)

Furthermore, there are many fun mini-games hidden in the exhibition panels waiting to be discovered.

Dates: August 4 to 19, 2023

Opening hours: 9:00-17:30, Tuesday to Sunday

Venue: Hall 3 of Hanmo Garden, Guangzhou Cultural & Art Centre

Address: No.288 Xinjiao Zhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou (广州市海珠区新滘中路288号)

Admission: Free (Advance booking is required via the center's official WeChat account "广州市文化馆")