French photographer Philippe Paquet's exhibition "Mongolia: From the Gobi Desert to the Altai Mountains" made its world premiere on August 14, 2025, at Mexico City's National Museum of World Cultures (Museo Nacional de las Culturas del Mundo, MNCM). The groundbreaking exhibition features 25 photographs and represents the first-ever Mongolia exhibition in the museum's distinguished history, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Mongolia.
The exhibition opening attracted a prestigious international gathering of diplomatic representatives, highlighting the cultural significance of this historic debut. Notable attendees included United States Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson, Romanian Ambassador Marius Gabriel Lazurca, Libyan Ambassador Sana El Mansouri, and diplomatic representatives from Cuba, Spain, and Portugal. The diverse international presence underscored the exhibition's role as a cultural bridge connecting nations and continents.
Cultural leaders emphasized the exhibition's importance as a diplomatic and artistic milestone. José Luis Perea González, Technical Secretary of Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, INAH), praised the photographer's work, stating, "Thanks to the talent of Philippe Paquet, we enter the heart of Mongolia. His lens does not only capture images, it accompanies stories." Alejandra Gómez Colorado, Director of MNCM, highlighted the historic nature of the event, explaining, "Never before had we presented an exhibition on Mongolia. Philippe Paquet's images are truly sublime, opening a journey of discovery into that vast country of Asia."
The exhibition received special recognition from Mongolian cultural representatives during the opening ceremony. Enrique Arturo Gutiérrez López Portillo, Honorary Consul of Mongolia in Mexico, commented on the photographer's comprehensive portrayal of the country, saying, "Paquet carries us from the Gobi to the Altai, capturing the essence of Mongolian life and celebrating the unity of two cultures." In a significant honor, Gankhuyag Natsag presented Paquet with the Cultural Envoy of Mongolia Award, praising the photographer's images that "reveal not only landscapes and traditions, but heart and soul."
The exhibition is organized through a collaborative effort between INAH, the Embassy of Mongolia in the United States, and operates under the patronage of the Honorary Consul of Mongolia in Mexico. Visitors can experience Paquet's photographic journey through Mongolia at the National Museum of World Cultures, located at Moneda 13 in Mexico City's Historic Center, from August 14, 2025, through January 31, 2026.
