PHOTO: 10th Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival

This year marks the 10th edition of the Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival, the Photo Festival is a cultural and artistic exchange project between Xiamen’s Jimei District and the Rencontres d’Arles in France. Since its establishment in 2015, the festival has showcased photography from around the world with a spirit of openness and diversity.

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Arles International Photo Festival Archive

The Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival actively supports the creation, research, and curation of Chinese photography, enhancing its visibility to the public and amplifying its voice on the international stage. This year, the festival will showcase 25 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 is a focus on works by renowned photographers Masahisa Fukase and Luo Bonian, allowing audiences to experience the artistry of these photographers. Additionally, three exhibitions in the “Crossover Photography” section offers diverse perspectives from creators in music, video, and other fields. The “Jimei × Arles Discovery Award” presents 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+, Xiaohongshu Photography, and FUJIFILM, presenting works by global image creators and encouraging photography that reflects everyday life. The highly anticipated “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. The “Jimei × Arles Curatorial Award for Photography and Moving Image”, established with CHANEL, will announce the launch of award selection alongside a new public curatorial progrom titled “Curatorial Seminar”. Through keynote speeches, group learning, and local practices, this program opens up new pathways for nurturing emerging Chinese curators. Additionally, a “Best Portfolio Award” has been introduced to the festival’s public education program “Portfolio Review” to encourage and recognize new photography creators. This year, the Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival 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 Exhibition” and “Isles Project”. The “Parallel Exhibition” collaborates with LOHKAH, Luchao Kulangsu Art Park, Red Dot Design Museum Xiamen, Topred Center for Contemporary Art (TCCA), SHaN SHaNG Art Space, More Art, showcasing Xiamen’s local art ecosystem in diverse forms, exploring the interaction between the city and art. 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 “Beneath the Surface”, among which five exhibitions will be toured: a part of the Journey to the Center by Cristina De Middel; New Farmer by Bruce Eesly; and Everyday Baroque (2014-2019) by Rajesh Vora. The Rencontres d’Arles Discovery Award, curated by Audrey Illouz in Arles 2024, presents in Jimei two projects: “Raising the Dust” by Coline Jourdan, presented by Le Lieu de la Photographie (Lorient, France), and “An Electronic Legacy” by François Bellabas, presented by The Centre Photographique d’Île-de-France. In the 2024 edition, Jimei × Arles and Premium Discovery Partner Xiaohongshu once again join forces to launch the “Discovery Award”. The establishment of the Jimei × Arles Discovery Award aims to discover and promote talented Chinese photographers on the international stage. This year, four curators are invited to nominate a total of eight photographers as finalists. The prize winner will receive a prize supported by Xiaohongshu of RMB 100,000 (pre-tax) and will be invited to hold a solo exhibition at the next edition of the Rencontres d’Arles in France, representing a new force in Chinese photography. The participating artists of this year’s “Jimei × Arles Discovery Award” include Alice Wang (Exhibition: The Earth is Plummeting Towards the Sun While Just Missing It) and Alison Chen (Exhibition: A Hole to the Water), nominated by curators Gan Yingying & Zhou Yichen; Kanthy Peng (Exhibition: Angelus Novus) and Zheng Andong (Exhibition: How to [Un]name a Tree), nominated by curator Michael Guo; Ivy Ma (Exhibition: Bird of Shape) and Yuk Mui Law (Exhibition: Song of the Exile, Scene II), nominated by curator Chris Wan Feng; Jia Yu (Exhibition: Strangers) and Xu Zhe (Exhibition: In Search of The Gold), nominated by curator Wang Paopao. The “China Pulse“ section spotlighta the photography and moving image practices of young artists. “I Wish You Were Here”, curated by Li Zijian, features artists including Bai Lin, Huang Jiayang, He Ye, Lan Dongliang, Shi Yu, Wang Yibing, Sean Wang, Wen Hao, Yan Qihan, and Yang Weihan. Centered on the themes of “nostalgia” and “hauntology”, the exhibition showcases works that delve into private memory, historical legacy, and spiritual states. It seeks to uncover the “ghostly heritage” intertwined with our perception and memory, inviting viewers into a space resonating with echoes and whispers.

Co-founded with CHANEL in 2021, the mission of the “Jimei × Arles Curatorial Award for Photography and Moving Image” is to support young creative forces in photography and moving image art: to discover and nurture outstanding young Chinese curators and researchers. Through a series of measures including an open call for curatorial proposals, professional jury selection, master courses on curation, and project-funding support, the award aims to engage outstanding curators in interdisciplinary research and curatorial practice. The finalists’ proposals will be presented during the Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival as a group exhibition. The winning proposal will be realised and presented in Beijing next year, as well as shown in other selected cities in China or overseas as a touring exhibition. Additionally, each year’s winners will receive a cash prize of RMB 100,000 provided by the award. 5 curatorial proposals were selected from 46 applications by the jury committee after two rounds of selection, and will be showcased at the Jimei × Arles: “Ghost Dance” (Curatorial Team: Starry Chen, Sylvia Tan), “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” (Curatorial Team: Yuting Huang, Zhejun GAO), “Metal Odyssey” (Curatorial Team: Yi-Ning LIN (Michelle), Chia-Shin YANG), “Soup on the oi”l (Curatorial Team: Fangfei Liu, Liao Sun), and “Fragmented Intimacy” (Curator: Zou Jielei). The winner will be announced during the opening week. To further deepen the cultivation of talent in the field of curatorial studies for photography and moving images, this year’s Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival has launched the innovative “Curatorial Seminar” program. Building on the foundation of the existing award selection and the online course “Curatorial Masterclass,” this new initiative aims to foster exchange and learning in curatorial practices. The program is led by renowned art historian and curator Carol Lu, who oversees the course design and activities. Additionally, 12 guest experts from curatorial, photography, and local cultural research fields were invited to share their professional insights and practical experiences with the participants. The “Greetings from Asia” section has showcased the photographic art developments of countries such as Indonesia, South Korea, India, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand from 2017 to 2022. In 2023, it featured a group exhibition of photographers from the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Cambodia. This year, “Greetings from Asia” once again turns its focus to Japan, highlighting the dramatic and tumultuous artistic career of photographer Masahisa Fukase, who was active during the golden age of Japanese photography in the 20th century. The exhibition explores his forty years of representative work, outlining the complete trajectory of his artistic exploration. “Private Scenes: Masahisa Fukase” is co-curated by Tomo Kosuge, director of the Masahisa Fukase Archives, and Chinese curator Yan Qi. “Glinting Light: An Exploration of Luo Bonian’s Photography” is a special feature of this year’s “Outer Regard”, presenting a solo exhibition dedicated to Luo Bonian, a renowned figure in the history of photography during the Republic of China era, this exhibition is curated by Hu Jiawen. It aims to honor Mr. Luo’s contributions to the development of early Chinese photographic art and to provide valuable insights and inspiration for future generations of photographers. Born into a family of officials at the Hangzhou Prefecture Yamen, Luo Bonian was deeply influenced by traditional Chinese culture from a young age. With his passion and dedication to photography, he made a profound impact on the Chinese photographic community during the 1930s and 1940s, both as a banker and a photographer. His works not only drew inspiration from the early pictorialist style but also integrated visual elements of Western modernist photography, boldly experimenting with techniques such as collage, thereby demonstrating the infinite possibilities of photographic art. This exhibition systematically traces the evolution of Luo Bonian’s photographic explorations as a renowned photographer of the Republic of China era, displaying his precious originals and documentary materials and guiding viewers into a historical era gently embraced by time. The “Crossover Photography” section presents a collision of diverse cultures and perspectives, featuring three exhibitions showcasing photographers Gao Yuan, Luo Dong, and Li Xiaoliang. Marking the 30th anniversary of the “Chinese Rock Power” Hong Kong Coliseum concert, the exhibition “Coli3e0m Rock” by Gao Yuan, curated by Liu Chang, offers a glimpse into the on-stage and behind-the-scenes moments of this iconic Chinese rock event, as well as the spirit of rock musicians from that era. Film director Luo Dong’s exhibition Just One Day, curated by Jiang Feiran and supported by CHANEL, under Luo Dong’s lens, presents photographs seemingly free of intricate narratives or lofty aesthetic ambitions. With a gentle and unadorned gaze, they draw the viewer into rare moments where the extraordinary quietly unfolds within the everyday. Fashion photographer Li Xiaoliang’s exhibition, New Houses, curated by Shi Hantao, documents the development and evolution of ethnic culture in the Qinghai-Tibet region, seeking to explore the issue of identity arising from multi-ethnic coexistence, engaging the audience in a dialogue between “tradition” and “modernity”.

The Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival, in collaboration with its Premium Imaging Partner vivo, proudly presents the “2024 vivo VISION + Exhibition”. Curated by Jimei × Arles co-founder RongRong, this exhibition features mobile photography by renowned artists such as Alex Webb, Xiao Quan, Duan Yueheng, and Francesco Gola. It also includes exceptional works selected from 602,003 submissions from 21 countries and regions, highlighting the diversity of perspectives in mobile image art. Deep within every image lies a reflection of the soul, it holds the depth and warmth of life. Each photograph captures a moment and serves as a conversation between the heart and the world, a vessel of emotion and meaning. Once again, vivo extends a warm invitation to image creators worldwide to participate in the 2025 vivo VISION +. vivo encourages creators to embrace mobile photography, starting from the heart. Pick up your phone, take one more shot. Observe and experience life deeply, share your passion for mobile image art, and unleash your imagination and creativity. Participants interpret their individuality through images and capture those touching moments that resonate with others. “The Unconscious Eyes” centers on selected works from the “Xiaohongshu Inspiring Moments Award”, exploring the theme of “Surreal Images” and showcasing photography as an artistic medium that transcends mere documentation to connect individuals with the world. The exhibition space is divided into two contrasting atmospheres—daylight’s fleeting fragments of everyday life and the dreamlike ambiguity of the night. Featuring six artists, the works range from street captures to surreal scenes created through digital techniques and collage. These images not only reflect the creators’ unique insights into life but also invite viewers on a captivating visual journey, transitioning from reality to the depths of the subconscious. The exhibition is curated by Teng Qingyun and Li Zijian, produced by Lan Ruoqian. “Present By Fujifilm”: Jimei × Arles collaborates with FUJIFILM to present two photography exhibitions. In celebration of FUJIFILM’s 90th anniversary, the exhibitions feature works by ROCKER Wang, a FUJIFILM partner photographer in China, and Xing Lei, who won the Judges’ Choice Gold Award in the Humanities Documentary category of the FUJIFILM 90th Anniversary Street Fighter Challenge. They respectively present their exhibitions “Through the Snow to the Peak” and “The Map of Tides”. Their works traverse different scales of time and space, exploring how time and nature shape human life while conveying unique perspectives on existence. ROCKER Wang’s “Through the Snow to the Peak” is a challenging high-altitude photography project, with shooting locations well above the typical snow line. In this perpetually snow-covered terrain, where few dare to venture, he lived and climbed alongside professional mountaineers, carrying professional equipment to document compelling stories of human encounters with snow and ice. Xing Lei’s “The Map of Tides” is a collection of works spanning a decade, originating from the self-emotional healing and exploration journey after the death of a loved one, showing the changes in the author’s inner world during the journey. The “ISLES PROJECT” combines the lifestyle trend of City Walk with the Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival, engaging cultural and artistic spaces across multiple cities. It encourages cross-media integration and innovative artistic expression. This year, the “ISLES PROJECT” revolves around five roaming exhibition routes, launching artistic city walks in various cities: The Xiamen·Dashe route, Make Friends, Not Art, captures and presents the loose yet intimate relationships occurring in Dashe on a smaller scale, exploring the possibility of a shared life based on “friendship”. The Xiamen·Xi’an Road-Xingfu Road route, Healing Place of Love, uses the power of artistic therapy to create a spiritual haven for urban walkers, offering relief and fulfillment through unique artistic experiences. The Zhangzhou·Old City route, :Walking on the Edge of __, What Else Can The Youth In The County Town Do?” invites a fresh look at the real people, their lives, and the culture emerging from the city, while reflecting on the present moment. The Quanzhou·Old City route, Quanzhou New Theater, transforms the “theater” into a “gathering place,” bringing together entrepreneurs from various fields and original residents to co-create, redefining the landscape of the old city and unfolding a new journey of local culture and artistic innovation. The Fuzhou·Zhuzifang route, “Fuzhou Seen From The Zhuzi Riverbank”, presents six different types of exhibitions, offering diverse perspectives on Fuzhou and collecting multiple interpretations of the city’s old town.  At the same time, the “ISLES PROJECT” invites cultural spaces, creative stores, coffee shops, independent bookstores, creative restaurants, and local brands nationwide to participate, collaborating with diverse local artistic forces across 14 cities, with over 40 roaming exhibitions, 5 City Walk routes, and more than 260 participating brands to collectively build islands.

Photo: He Jinyi, The Mark of a Moment in Millennia. Courtesy of the artist.

Info: 10^th Jimei × Arles International Photo Festival, Duration: 29/11/2024-12/5/2025, Jimei Art Centre, Building 12, Xinglinwan Business Center, Jimei District, Xiamen, China, & Three Shadows Xiamen Photography Art Centre, 3rd Floor of Building 2, Xinglinwan Business Center, Jimei District, Xiamen, China, Duration: 29/11/2024-12/5/2025, Days & Hours: Tue-Sun 9:30-17:30, www.threeshadows.cn/