The 57th edition of the Rencontres d'Arles, the iconic photography festival, is now open until 4 October 2026, featuring images of dogs, diners, UFOs, and more. This year's themes are 'independence', 'journeys', 'forms of life', 'revisits', and 'uncertain archive'.
Independence: Ghana and Ivory Coast
On 6 March 1957, after more than a century under British rule, Ghana celebrated its independence. Photography played a crucial role in shaping the image of the young nation, documented across numerous books including Paul Strand's Ghana: An African Portrait (1976). The exhibition includes Strand's work alongside that of James Barnor, a pioneer of Ghanaian photography who, at 96, still inspires contemporary artists through the James Barnor prize. The third edition, dedicated to Southern Africa, will announce its winner on 8 July.
Photoromance, the first major solo exhibition in France for Ivorian photographer Paul Kodjo, explores post-independence visual culture. Kodjo was among the first African photographers to use photo novels, shot in public and domestic spaces, reflecting social and economic transformations during the 'Ivorian miracle' of the 1960s and 1970s.
Forms of Life: Animals and Nature
Animal Model takes visitors on a voyage through two centuries of images, showing how photography has shaped views of animals and influenced how we love, exploit, or defend them. Featuring works by Masahisa Fukase, William Wegman, Pieter Hugo, and anonymous photographers, the exhibition is built around six perspectives: anatomical, performative, emotional, fascinated, ethical, and viral gazes.
Nature presents Edward Steichen's rarely exhibited works from Luxembourg-based collections, reflecting his deep fascination with nature. Meanwhile, Lisa Oppenheim's Monsieur Steichen offers a subjective portrait of the Luxembourg-born American photographer, exploring his passion for flowers, textile designs, and colour photography experiments.
Uncertain Archive: UFOs and Anonymous Photos
We are not Alone explores UFO photography, from Eduard Albert 'Billy' Meier's 1975 claim of contact with aliens to contemporary works by Sacha Goldberger and Douglas Curran. The exhibition examines how these blurry images have instilled a 'culture of visual doubt', foreshadowing questions about image reliability in the era of fake news and AI.
Being There by Lee Shulman and Omar Victor Diop intervenes in 1950s and 1960s North American family album photos, introducing a black presence where one would have been historically impossible, reflecting on racial segregation and civil rights struggles.
Revisits: Klein, Barrat, Gruyaert, and Smith
To mark the centenary of his birth, This Way to Heaven showcases William Klein's photographs, paintings, films, and drawings, dismantling the mechanics of mass media images. Soul of the City features Martine Barrat's respectful and committed photographs of Harlem residents, celebrating life despite harsh environments. Harry Gruyaert's A Sense of Place offers a journey through cities like New York, Paris, Tokyo, and Mumbai, united by vibrant colour and urban geometry. Ming Smith's Wandering Light presents soft, blurred contours and spectral figures that feel remembered rather than recorded.
Other Highlights
Flower Power features contemporary floral photography by Alice Pallot, while Upwelling by Meghann Rienpenhoff considers complex relationships to landscape. Vigilance: Work Under Tension includes photographs by Pierre Bérenger commissioned by SODEL to promote electricity, celebrating engineering projects and their landscapes.
