“The 2022 festival lives up to its name: the Rencontres d’Arles. Some 18,585 professionals and enthusiasts gathered around the artists and a wealth of photographic practices.We wanted the program to reveal the diversity and porosity of approaches and views, striking a balance between historical, contemporary and emerging photography and visual, experimental and documentary practices.
The public success is primarily that of artists whose sensitivity and commitment allow us to feel and view the world differently.”
Aurélie de Lanlay and Christoph Wiesner, assistant director and director of the Rencontres d’Arles
The Rencontres d'Arles is pleased to announce that attendance figures for opening week were back up to the level in 2019 (year of the 50th anniversary): 18,585 visitors from July 4 to 10, 40% of them international.
- 18,585 visitors, 40% of them from outside France
- 40 exhibitions on the official program in addition to 15 Grand Arles Express exhibitions
- 20 curators
- 165 artists
- 66 public events: round tables, panel discussions, tours with artists and curators, book signings, etc.
Day and night across the city, the program’s photographers and curators met the public at evening projections, exhibition tours, debates, lectures, etc. The Rencontres d’Arles showed its solidarity with the Ukrainian people fighting for their freedom and paid tribute all week to artists and photographers whose lives are threatened by Russian aggression.
This year, the different venues’ atmospheres echoed the program’s diversity. The Rencontres held exhibitions in historic places and landmarks in the center of town, the Atelier de la Mécanique in the Parc des Ateliers, Monoprix, Croisière and the Summer Garden. Saint Blaise Church hosted works by Susan Meiselas and Marta Gentilucci, who teamed up to create an installation mixing videos and original music.
See you next year at the 54th edition!
PHOTO PUBLISHING IN ARLES
At the invitation of the Rencontres d'Arles, France PhotoBook organized Arles Books Fair 2022 focusing on the richness and variety of publishing endeavors. Around 60 publishers from over 15 countries attended the event, which included meetings with photographers and authors.
AWARDS PRESENTED DURING OPENING WEEK
THE WOMEN IN MOTION AWARD FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
Kering and the Rencontres d’Arles presented the 2022 Women In Motion Award to French-American photographer Babette Mangolte, who discussed her career, her work and the place of women in her oeuvre.
Created in 2019, the Women In Motion Award for Photography comes with a €25,000 prize for the acquisition of the winning artist’s works for the Rencontres d'Arles collection.
THE LOUIS ROEDERER DISCOVERY AWARD
This year, the 10 shortlisted projects were considered as a single exhibition, designed by curator Taous Dahmani from selection to hanging. She and scenographer Amanda Antunes innovatively and eco-responsibly highlighted the emerging scene at one of the festival’s emblematic venues, the Church of the Preaching Friars.
Winner:Rahim Fortunefor I can't stand to see you cryPresented by Sasha Wolf Projects, New York
Special mention:Olga Grotovafor Our grandmothers' gardensPresented by Pushkin House, London
The Public Award:Mika Sperlingfor I have done nothing wrongPresented by Ahoi, Lucerne, Switzerland
Amount: €15,000 to be used for the purchase of works that will become part of the Rencontres d'Arles collection and €5,000 for the Public PrizeWith support from the Louis Roederer Foundation and Polka
THE LUMA RENCONTRES DUMMY BOOK AWARD
Winner:Maciejka Artfor Hoja SantaGraphic design: Maciejka Art, Inframundo (Ramon Pez and Ana Casas), MexicoAmount: €25,000In partnership with the Luma Foundation
Special mention:Alejandro Luperca Moralesfor El Retrato de ta AusenciaGraphic design: Fernando Gallegos, Mexico
THE BOOK AWARDS
THE PHOTO-TEXT BOOK AWARD
Winner:Desiderea NunciaAuthor: Smith, Lucien Raphmaj & Diplomates Publisher: Palais Books, Arles Design: Yann LinsartAmount: €6,000
Special mention:Nos prisonsAuthor: Maxence RiffletPublisher: Le pont du jour, CherbourgDesign: David Poullard
THE HISTORY BOOK AWARD
Winner:Quitting Your Day Job: Chauncey Hare’s Photographic WorkAuthor: Robert SlifkinPublisher: Mack, London Design: Morgan Crowcroft-BrownAmount: €6,000
Special mention:Aenne Biermann. Up Close and PersonalAuthor: Aenne Biermann & collective Publisher: Verlag Scheidegger & Spiess and Tel Aviv Museum of Art, ZurichDesign: Sylph Editions London
THE AUTHOR’S BOOK AWARD
Winner:Strike, StrajkAuthor: Rafaƚ Milach & collectivePublisher: Jednostka Gallery, WarsawDesign: Ania Nałęcka-Milach, Rafał MilachAmount: €6,000
THE PRIX DE LA PHOTO MADAME FIGARO-ARLES
The Prix de la Photo Madame Figaro-Arles is awarded to a woman photographer whose work is shown at the festival.
Winner:Amina Kadous for Or Blanc (White Gold), presented in the exhibition If a tree falls in a forest.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES
The festival offers about 60 photography courses year round, including approximately 30 this summer until September 22. Nearly 450 impassioned amateurs and professionals hone their skills and enrich their gaze during a weekend or a week. Every Friday from July 15 to August 19, and on Friday September 16 and Thursday September 22, pop-up exhibitions at Croisière feature the work they did in the workshops.
A FAMILY FESTIVAL
Three-hour workshops for 6-12 year-olds are offered from July 13 to August 24. For one or five days from Monday to Friday, children discover and learn about photography in all its forms. An exhibition tour and a snack complete each day. Special tours designed for families take place every Wednesday until August 24.
The Rencontres d’Arles warmly thanks all its partners.