The Rencontres d’Arles will travel to Beijing, China for the second consecutive year for the Caochangdi PhotoSpring Festival running in partnership with the French festival from April 23 through May 1st. The artsy neighborhood of Caochangdi that was established northeast of Beijing in 2000, rapidly became a major artistic hub with numerous galleries, art institutions and workshops. With Caochangdi PhotoSpring, the Chinese development team hopes to build a platform for photography where, through this annual event, photographers and the public can meet and have access to quality photographic work.

Directed by Bérénice Angremy, Rong Rong & Inri, the festival highlights Chinese photography and previous exhibitions featured in Arles. For the first time, twenty galleries in Caochangdi will present both international and Chinese photography.
Arles has a long history of friendship with China, for more than 20 years Chinese photography has had its place at the Rencontres d’Arles. In 1988, a major exhibition was organized, featuring the young generation at the time. The experience was repeated in 2003 with an exhibition featuring photographers previously revealed at the Pingyao festival. It is only natural that the festival of Arles would find a home in the capital city of this largest nation in Asia.

Ericka Weidmann