The Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival was founded in 2015 in the Jimei district near Xiamen, southern China. Since then, it has hosted over 200 shows from China and the rest of Asia. Each year, Jimei x Arles brings a selection of Rencontres d’Arles exhibitions to China and produces over 20 shows of Chinese and Asian photographers. Cited as an example of French‑Chinese cultural cooperation, the festival aims to assert its role as a photography platform in Asia. It has created its own Discovery Award, presented annually in Arles, the first women’s photography prize in China (Curatorial Award for Photography and Moving Image).

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 our 2023 Book Award shortlist and winners.

PROGRAM