The quality and presentation of these photographs perfectly preserve the charm and elegance of the times when they were taken. Their freshness makes it difficult to believe that these images were created between 80 and 150 years ago.

The exhibition, consisting of 30 photographs, is the result of collaborative efforts by the husband and wife team of French collector, Gregory Genest, and Taiwanese contemporary art curator Pema Lamo.

The photographs are presented in ornate silver frames and mounted within a border of midnight blue. Most of the pictures, due to their age, are black and white or sepia, although some of them have been hand-tinted with color. The subject matter centers on the lives of residents living in village communities in the French regions of the Pyrenees, Normandy and Brittany during the late 19th century through to the mid-20th century.

Genest, who also teaches French in Taipei and works as a translator, collected the photographs from his family over the years and from flea markets, antique shops and other collectors while he and Lamo were touring around the countryside and villages of central and southern France from 2006 to 2007. Some of these photographs are very rare, and can cost as much as NT$10,000 each to collect.

Genest says, "I am very happy to be able to share with my friends in Taipei the diversity of French culture 100 years ago."

Regarding their decision to hold the show in the cafe, Lamo says, "We feel it has the perfect environment, allowing people the time to relax and really appreciate the images on display."

The subjects in these photographs possess a type of nobility that one would be hard-pressed to find among the celebrities of popular culture in the modern world.

Their expressions portray a vast range of human emotions, from joy to grief. Women appear in elaborate headwear, their clothes layered and often covered with delicate lace shawls. Dresses are embroidered with intricate designs and look incredibly impractical for everyday wear.

However, Genest explains, "Many of these clothes were for everyday use. Others were specifically for social rituals such as weddings and funerals."

Surprisingly, the designs on the clothes go beyond the merely decorative, actually acting as ethnic identity cards. They not only say something about the time they were worn or the region they come from, but also carry deep social messages about the person wearing them - a symbolism that everyone in these communities would have been able to interpret.

For example, women from the rich agricultural families of Normandy wore very high hats as a sign of their social prestige. An embroidered design of a goat represented strength; a peacock was symbolic of pride. A fern was a kind of lucky charm for the wearer, and meant to bring them happiness, prosperity, a large family and a long life. Necklaces symbolized the relationship between human beings and the gods and the degree of protection a person received depending on the position of the stars at the time of their birth. These symbols also played an important part in courtship rituals, allowing potential partners to be scrutinized for suitability before an approach was made. This all reveals a highly structured social order, where everyone knew their place and accepted their position within the community.

The exhibition is titled "My Grandma is More Sexy than You!"

This title, joking aside, has a very special meaning for Genest. He says, "I think 100 years ago, the women in these photographs had more diverse and unique ways of expressing themselves through their clothing than modern mass-produced, factory-made fashions allow today. This is because the women made the clothes themselves and were able to give them individual touches which made them very beautiful. The fashions women wear today make everyone look the same. This is why I decided on this title for the exhibition."

Genest is basically making a statement about how, for him, diversity and originality are more attractive qualities than the uniformity of today's fashions.

This message about diversity, uniqueness and originality goes much deeper. It is intended to draw attention to the effect of globalization and make us question whether the price of losing the richness of individual cultures is worth paying.

Lamo's interest in getting involved with her husband's photography exhibition, she says, "stemmed from its anthropological angle and the fact that it is very different from the contemporary art with which she usually deals."

The owner of the Charlotte Cafe, Chen Cheng-chung, said, "I view making coffee as a work of art, so for me the relationship between an art or photography exhibition and drinking coffee is a very natural combination."

Genest added that his interest in the diversity of different cultures is probably the result of his interesting childhood. His father is French and his mother is of French-Vietnamese parentage. At the age of six his parents took him to Tahiti, where the family lived for six years before returning to France. During his time in Polynesia, the family traveled to New Zealand, Hawaii and many other Pacific countries.

Genest originally came to Taiwan in 1997 to carry out research for his Masters degree in anthropology. During this time, he observed the Amis aboriginal culture in Hualien and Taitung. He returned to Taiwan every year before finally settling in Taipei and marrying Lamo in 2003.

Having made comparisons between different tribal communities in France and Taiwan, Genest came to this very important conclusion: "Everyone has a similar point of view, and this common bond between people is stronger than all the differences that exist."

The "My Grandma is More Sexy than You!" photography exhibition can be seen at the Charlotte cafe at number 96 Ren-ai Road, Section 3, Taipei until March 30.

More information about Genest's exhibition and his other work is available on his blog at http://wretch.cc/blog/faguobinlang