Lianzhou International Photo Festival Launches in China
The inaugural Lianzhou International Photo Festival, curated by Alain Jullien, occurred from November 20 to 26, 2005, in Lianzhou, China. Its goal was to advance contemporary Chinese photography, showcasing around 80 exhibitions and roughly ten seminars. A prominent theme was the shift in photojournalism towards a more subjective lens, featuring works by Paul Fusco, Clotilde Viannay, and others. Notable exhibitions included collective displays like Selfisch and City Sights of China, while classic reportage was showcased by Philip Blenkinsop, Wu Jia Lin, and others. The new Cultural Centre highlighted Chinese reportage photographers such as Lu Houmin and Du Jiang. However, the festival received criticism for its perceived lack of critical focus and commercial-themed exhibitions.
Key facts
- Alain Jullien created the Lianzhou International Photo Festival.
- The festival ran from November 20 to 26, 2005 in Lianzhou, China.
- It featured 80 exhibitions and about ten seminars.
- The festival aimed to promote contemporary Chinese photography and compare it with Western photography.
- One theme was the evolution of photojournalism toward subjective documentary.
- Exhibitions were held in two former factories and the new Cultural Centre.
- Notable photographers included Philip Blenkinsop, Wu Jia Lin, Jiang Jian, Christopher Taylor, and Zhuang Xue Ben.
- The festival was criticized for lacking critical direction and mixing artistic and commercial photography.
Entities
Artists
- Alain Jullien
- Paul Fusco
- Clotilde Viannay
- Maggie Steber
- Hua Er
- Yves Gellie
- Philip Blenkinsop
- Wu Jia Lin
- Jiang Jian
- Christopher Taylor
- Zhuang Xue Ben
- Lu Houmin
- Du Jiang
- Li Nan
- Niu Guo Zheng
Institutions
- Lianzhou International Photo Festival
- Pingyao International Photography Festival
- Epson
- National Geographic
- Getty Images
Locations
- Lianzhou
- China
- Pingyao
- Nepal
- Calcutta
- Bombay
- Tibet
- Shanghai
Sources
- artpress —