Living Proof of a Vibrant Culture

-- The U.S., despite appearances, is not the only country with influence in the cultural field. The case of French architecture is an obvious example. When Paul Andreu builds the National Grand Theater in Beijing, when Jean Nouvel has projects in Brazil or Jean-Michel Wilmotte in the gulf states, when Christian de Portzamparc works in Rio de Janeiro, and Dominique Perrault in Russia, they are operating in countries that will very soon represent major cultural "markets."

-- France has "world stars," ones that reach millions of spectators, too, even if they are not subsidized by the authorities: photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, author Yasmina Reza, designer Philippe Starck, Daft Punk and soprano Natalie Dessay.

-- Our creators and intellectuals did indeed lose some ground in the U.S. after the war. But we are now seeing their 
 return, and that of French galleries, onto the American scene. From translations of Bernard-Henri Lévy's books to artist Daniel Buren's installations at the Guggenheim, to the French presence at Art Basel Miami Beach, the news is very positive.

-- Although our artists may not draw the highest prices, they glean prizes and international recognition. Buren won Japan's Praemium Imperiale for painting in 2007, Christian Boltanski received it for sculpture in 2006, and Annette Messager won the Golden Lion at the 2005 Venice Biennale.

-- Should fashion designers be excluded from the sphere of art and culture? Christian Lacroix, Azzedine Alaïa, Jean-Paul Gaultier and so many others are worldwide stars. Our luxury industries, as well as our Michelin-starred chefs, are perceived abroad as evidence of the vitality of French "culture."

-- Say the names Pierre Boulez or Ariane Mnouchkine in all four corners of the earth: those who love music or theater will tell you that they are outstandingly creative.

We will finish this list with a quote from Jean-Luc Godard: "Culture is the norm, art is the exception."

With a little more thought and analysis, and a little less cheap theory, our American friends will concede that we have a certain talent for keeping the holy flame burning, despite the modest size of our territory and population. But TIME's unexpected gift — our 15 minutes of fame! — offers us the chance to remind our compatriots that nothing can be taken for granted, that it is necessary to fight, even at home, to reaffirm the importance of this culture, the power of our influence.

It is a pity that there was no promise of a reward for an answer to the question on the magazine's cover. But never mind; the cause was one for which it was worth mobilizing. We have asked hundreds of our cultural partners in almost 110 countries worldwide to give us the names of worldwide stars in their own fields who happen to be French. We thought for a while that we might buy an advertisement to publish this list of "French stars" but, apart from having to pay a great deal for the right of reply, we would never have been able to fit all these names onto a single page.

Our address book has brought in a miraculous haul of men and women of culture who originate in France, and whose impact is making itself felt all over the world. You can get in touch with one or two of them at any time. That might prevent you from spoiling a cover once more with a claim that is not true, even if your hoax turned out to be quite pleasant and highly stimulating.

Olivier Poivre d'Arvor is director of CulturesFrance, a government agency responsible for the promotion of French culture