The opening ceremony of the exhibition took place on July 7 at the gallery on Nongbone Road, Xaysettha district. The photographs on display portray the relationship uniting cats and humans in Kenya taken by Julie Delfour, along with photos taken in Laos by Stany Khol.

The exhibition presents some captivating photos and also reminds us of the importance of animals in our lives and encourages people to nurture and protect them.

The exhibition runs from July 7 to July 20 and is open to the public free of charge.

Julie Delfour is well known for her colourful, exuberant photos from around the world and has held various photo exhibitions, but this is her first in Laos.

She is the holder of diverse literary and scientific diplomas and works with several French institutions to study the circumstances of various animal species.

Stany Khol is French and has lived in Laos for a long time. He enjoys photographing cats in Laos and this is the first time his work has been exhibited.

Both photographers love animals, especially cats, and enjoy capturing their various poses and situations.

Julie Delfour says the relationship be tween cats and humans started around 10,000 BC when farmers began feeding wildcats to fight the rode nts who plundered their harvests.

In the Middle East, the domestication of cats accompanied the development of agriculture.

Then the first domestic cats followed men in their migrations all over the world. They spread and adapted everywhere. But they got closer to us through opportunism, feeding on our scraps and on mice attracted by our granaries, while keeping their independence and their ability to find food by themselves.

Nowadays, most domestic cats are able to survive without us. Even without an owner and homeless, they know how to take advantage of our presence without ever belonging to us completely. The relationship between cats and humans is based on mutual respect, according to a kind of secret pact like those found in beliefs and religious practices.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Julie Delfour and Stany Khol warmly welcomed guests and explained the background of the exhibition and the significance of the photos.

“Since childhood, I have been fascinated by the links that weave between human beings and animals. When I was a child, I looked after injured animals in my bedroom, which I transformed into a sort of hospital. Today, I use writing and photography to highlight these links which unite us with animals, in particular with cats. The cat fascinates me for this wild part which it has never lost completely,” said Julie Delfour.

“That is why I went to the island of Lamu in Kenya, where there are numerous cats. From this journey was born a book illustrated by a large number of photos, called “Cats of Lamu, on the tracks of the first cats” (Ulmer, 2015). I wish today to pursue this work exploring the link between human beings and cats in Laos.”