52nd Rencontres d'Arles Prioritizes Visibility of Minoritized Identities

The 52nd edition of the Rencontres de la photographie d'Arles, running until September 26, 2021, marks Christoph Wiesner's first festival as director. Unlike predecessors François Hébel and Sam Stourdzé, Wiesner opts for fewer but better-presented exhibitions, abandoning difficult venues. The Prix découverte Louis Roederer now occupies the Église des Frères Prêcheurs, curated by Sonia Voss with scenography by Amanda Antunes. The festival focuses on the visibility of minoritized identities—women, LGBTQI+, and Black people—a theme present in exhibitions like Jazz Power! (covering Jazz Magazine's first two decades), Tarrah Krajnak's critical rereading of Edward Weston's nudes, SMITH's cosmic installation, and The New Black Vanguard featuring young Black photographers such as Campbell Addy. Major exhibitions include Masculinités (previously at Barbican Centre) and Puisqu'il fallait tout repenser, showcasing feminist works from Latin America, including Graciela Sacco's Bocanada series. Wiesner retains the thematic sequence structure introduced by Stourdzé, though some exhibitions like the Orient-Express history feel incongruous. The festival's political focus is seen as both a necessary correction and a form of opportunism.