Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival 2024

The Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival is a cultural and artistic exchange project between Xiamen’s Jimei District and the Rencontres d'Arles in France.

Overview

Since its establishment in 2015, the festival has showcased outstanding photography from around the world with a spirit of openness and diversity. It actively supports the creation, research, and curation of Chinese photography, enhancing its visibility to the public and amplifying its voice on the international stage. To date, Jimei × Arles has successfully held over 300 exhibitions, featuring selections from China, Asia, and the Rencontres d'Arles, and has presented the works of over 700 artists. It has organized more than 800 public events, attracting a total of over 500,000 visitors.

This year at its 10th edition, the festival will showcase 23 exhibitions, featuring a total of 2,000 works by artists from France, Spain, Germany, India, Japan, Canada, the United States, and China. Highlights include five exhibitions selected from the Rencontres d'Arles, covering themes such as AI, architectural landscapes, and environmental issues. There will be a focus on works by renowned photographers Masahisa Fukase and Luo Bonian, allowing audiences to experience the artistry of these top photographers. Additionally, three exhibitions in the Crossover Photography section will offer diverse perspectives from creators in music, video, and other fields. The Jimei × Arles Discovery Award will present eight exhibitions along with a group show under the China Pulse theme, featuring Chinese photographers. Another exhibition, showcasing finalists of the Jimei × Arles Curatorial Award for Photography and Moving Image, aims to discover and cultivate young Chinese curators and researchers. This year, the festival also collaborates with vivo VISION+ and Xiaohongshu's Inspiring Moments Award Exhibition, presenting works by global image creators and encouraging photography that reflects everyday life.

The highly anticipated Jimei × Arles Discovery Award, co-initiated with Xiaohongshu Photography, and Jimei × Arles Curatorial Award for Photography and Moving Image, established with CHANEL, will announce this year's winners during the opening week. The Jimei × Arles Discovery Award has been dedicated to discovering and promoting Chinese image creators for a decade, featuring artists from Hong Kong and mainland China, Canada, and the United States this year. In addition to the award selection, the Jimei × Arles Curatorial Award for Photography and Moving Image will launch a public curatorial course, the Young Curators' Seminar, just prior to the opening of the Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival. It will include keynote speeches, group learning, and local practices, paving new paths for nurturing emerging Chinese curators.

This year, the Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival will focus more deeply on integrating with local culture, exploring the connections between photography and the cultural heritage of Xiamen and its surrounding areas. As an international platform for photographic arts, the 10th edition will also connect with local art and culture through the Parallel Exhibitions and Isles Project.

Leading up to the festival’s opening and throughout its duration, experts, scholars, artists, and curators from around the world will deliver a diverse array of events. These include university lecture tours, the Young Curators' Seminar, portfolio reviews, artist talks, workshops, guided tours, performances, and study trips. This rich lineup of activities will provide audiences with a unique artistic experience, creating memorable encounters through photography.