The Rencontres d’Arles Photography Festival is to photography what Cannes is to cinema. It is THE essential event for photography enthusiasts and professionals, who will come, from July 4 to September 25, 2022, to present their work, exchange ideas, and discover the talent of their peers.
The general public, lovers of beautiful images, are also invited to discover the great names in photography as well as the festival’s new discoveries.
A Major and Popular Event
The Rencontres d’Arles, an annual photography festival, was founded in 1970 by Arlesian photographer Lucien Clergue, writer Michel Tournier, and historian Jean-Maurice Rouquette. At the time, photography was considered a “minor” art and had not yet gained its recognition. The Arles festival would largely contribute to its institutional recognition: from a simple gathering of photography lovers, it would become over the years a major and highly popular cultural event. An exponential success since the early 2000s, with the public’s growing interest in photography.
Art in the City
After two challenging years, and as the war in Ukraine highlights the importance of photographers, this year’s program features a dialogue between image and performance.
The poster for the 2022 edition is a photograph by Mitch Epstein taken in Ahmedabad, in the Indian state of Gujarat, in 1981. (Mitch Epstein/Black River Productions, Ltd., G)
From early July to late September, the public is invited to discover around forty exhibitions. Often produced in collaboration with French and foreign museums and institutions, they are presented in various locations throughout the city, including heritage sites – 12th-century chapels or cloisters, 19th-century industrial buildings… – or contemporary, even unexpected places (the Monoprix store with its 20th-century heritage-listed facade, for example).
During the festival’s opening week, in early July, the entire city of Arles, bathed in its soft southern light and exceptional heritage, vibrates with photography. Alongside the exhibitions, evenings are punctuated by nocturnal screenings, concerts, and other performances at the city’s ancient theater. The famous Nuit de l’Année (Night of the Year), the festival’s unmissable festive event, is an opportunity to attend debates, book signings, meetings with artists… and to party until dawn, under the stars.
You can find the full program for the 2022 encounters here.
New Talents, Industry Stars
Many talents to discover and renowned names are expected. Chinese artist Wang Yimo, winner of the Jimei x Arles Discovery Award, will transport us to an abandoned factory in China, and Sathish Kumar to the south of his country, India, which American Mitch Epstein also explored in the 80s with his ex-wife, filmmaker Mira Nair. Arles also announces exhibitions by Bruno Serralongue, Léa Habourdin, and Julien Lombardi. Other talents to discover include: Frida Orupabo, Sandra Brewster, Romain Urhausen, Lukas Hoffmann (who chases anonymous people with his photographic camera), Julia Gat, and Julien Gester (a journalist for Libération). We will see industry stars: Paul Graham as curator, James Barnor at Luma, Joan Fontcuberta at Croisière, Tom Wood, Mathieu Pernot, Bernard Plossu, Klavdij Sluban, Thomas Mailaender in Marseille… There is also great curiosity, at the moment, for Barbara Iweins, who methodically and obsessively photographed the 12,795 objects in her house for two years. New technologies will also be discussed, specifically the cloud in an exhibition on clouds, augmented reality, the metaverse, and, of course, NFTs (with Fisheye).
A robust and enticing program for this dynamic return!
If you plan to attend, and to simplify your organization, do not hesitate to download the ARLES 2022 mobile application – which allows you to purchase your e-tickets, personalize your itinerary and agenda, navigate the city, and view real-time attendance at exhibition venues. This application also offers directory and social networking features reserved for professionals. Available on the App Store and Google Play.
