THE 9th JIMEI x ARLES INTERNATIONAL PHOTO FESTIVAL

Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival was co-initiated by Three Shadows Photography Art Centre and Les Rencontres d'Arles in 2015, supported by Jimei District Committee of the CPC and the Government of Jimei District, and co-hosted by Three Shadows and Xiamen Tianxia Jimei Media Co., Ltd. Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival introduces excellent photography works from overseas with an inclusive and multicultural attitude while synchronizing with the latest international insight. It supports and encourages the creation, studies and curation of Chinese photography so as to facilitate its presence in the public as well as on the international stage. Since its inception, Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival has presented nearly 300 exhibitions from China and other Asian countries, as well as a selection of outstanding works from Les Rencontres d'Arles. Over 600 artists’ works have been presented and the festival has attracted a total of 430,000 visitors.

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The 9th Jimei x Arles establishes an Art Committee including director of Les Rencontres d’Arles Christoph Wiesner, noted photography critic Gu Zheng, co-founder of Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) and founding director of DECK Gwen Lee, Chinese contemporary photographer and co-founder of Three Shadows Photography Art Centre RongRong, executive director of Three Shadows Photography Art Centre Yan Qi.

This year the Art Committee takes over the Art Directors’ jobs to co-organize 32 exhibitions, featuring works by over a hundred artists from France, Germany, the United States, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. “Jimei x Arles Discovery Award” and “Curatorial Award for Photography and Moving Image” will announce this year’s winners during the opening week of the festival. Starting from this year, Jimei x Arles has established the 'Dummy Book Award,' aimed at encouraging and supporting artists in their creative endeavors centered around photography books.

This year, the exhibitions of Jimei x Arles will be held at Jimei Art Centre and Three Shadows Xiamen Photography Art Centre, as well as in galleries and art schools in Xiamen and Fuzhou as the sub-venues. The Jimei Art Centre is located on the 1st to 4th floors of the podium of the Jimei Chengyi International Business Center, an iconic landmark in Xiamen. It will be open to the public for the first time as the main venue of Jimei x Arles.

The 2023 Jimei x Arles introduces the “Isles Project” under the theme of “Art is Never Alone.” Centered around the Jimei x Arles main venue, this project radiates and collaborates with diverse cultural, artistic, and living spaces, inviting the audience to embark on an urban art stroll. During the Jimei x Arles opening week from December 15 to 17, a series of engaging activities, including the opening ceremony, portfolio reviews, lectures, workshops, artist-guided tours, performances, and educational tours, will warmly welcome you to the vibrant city of Xiamen!

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