Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival 2023

Since 2010, a collaboration between Three Shadows Photography Art Centre in Xiamen, China, and the French photography festival Les Rencontres d’Arles evolved into the annual Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival.

Overview

The 9th edition of Jimei x Arles presents 31 exhibitions, featuring works by over a hundred artists from France, Germany, the United States, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. “Jimei x Arles Discovery Award” and “Curatorial Award for Photography and Moving Image” will announce this year’s winners during the opening week of the festival. Starting this year, Jimei x Arles has established the 'Dummy Book Award,' aimed at encouraging and supporting artists in their creative endeavors centered around photography books.

This year Jimei x Arles also introduces the “Isles Project” under the theme of “Art is Never Alone.” Centered around the Jimei x Arles main venue, this project radiates and collaborates with diverse cultural, artistic, and living spaces, inviting the audience to embark on an urban art stroll. During the Jimei x Arles opening week from December 15 to 17, a series of engaging activities takes place, including the opening ceremony, portfolio reviews, lectures, workshops, artist-guided tours, performances, symposiums, a photobook market, and educational tours. 

The Exhibitions from Arles section aims to synchronize the Chinese audience with the freshest international perspectives. This July, Les Rencontres d’Arles opened with the theme of “A state of consciousness”, among which 7 selected exhibitions will be toured in China: “My Polaroid Friends” by Wim Wenders; a part of the “SØSTERSKAP, Contemporary Nordic Photography” exhibition starring artists Jeannette Ehlers, Fryd Frydendahl, Bente Geving, Heiða Helgadóttir, Hannah Modigh and Emma Sarpaniemi, curated by Elina Heikka, Anna-Kaisa Rastenberger, Charlotte Præstegaard Schwartz, Æsa Sigurjónsdóttir, Nina Strand, Susanne Østby Sæther and Anna Tellgren; “Hoja Santa (Holy Leaf)” by Maciejka Art, curated by Ramon Pez; “COSMOVISIÓN” by Garush Melkonyan. The Rencontres d’Arles Discovery Award, curated by Tanvi Mishra in Arles 2023, presents in Jimei two projects: “Caribbean Dreams” by Samantha Box, presented by Tiger Strikes Asteroid (New York, United States) and “The Ajaib Ghar Archive” by Philippe Calia, presented by Tarq (Mumbai, India). And finally, as in previous years, the spotlight will be on photography publishing with the presentation of the 2023 Book Award shortlist and winners.