3, 2, 1...Arles!
©Peter Mitchell, Mr. & Mrs. Hudson. Wedsneday 14 August 74. 11 a.m. Seacroft Green, Leeds.
By Karolina Sotomayor
Looking at the itinerary of Les Rencontres photo festival's opening week event list will most likely make you want to splurge on a ticket to Arles immediately. But since that would be only slightly irrational, Musée would rather give you the scoop on the most interesting events going on for the last days of its opening week.
Today, Peter Mitchell, along with photographer Martin Parr and book collector Rudi Thoemmes will lead a tour around Mitchell’s monographic exhibition, A New Refutation of the Viking 4 Space Mission at the Grande Halle. The images of Leeds’ traditional shops and factories have been praised by Martin Parr as groundbreaking in the history of British color photography. Both photographers will be part of a book signing as well.
Screenwriter and director Sebastien Lifshitz will also lead a guided tour through his exhibition “Sincerely Queer.” For years, the artist has focused on documenting narratives related to homosexuality and has amassed a collection of images from the early 20th century of men and women playing with gender and identity in front of the camera. The two-time winner of the Teddy Award has always been intrigued by uncommon subjects outside of mainstream history, which is clear from the images that seem to tickle his fancy.
Speaking of all things outside mainstream, the curators of the exhibition “Tear my Bra” Azu Nwagbogu from Nigeria and Maria Pia Bernardoni from Italy will also guide visitors through their selection of images. The exhibit is part of the initiative to promote contemporary art and photography by leading non-profit organizations for the arts in their respective countries.
Various events will take place after sunset including a conversation with the controversial Andrés Serrano to close the night. The photographer will provide insight on his works, which have caused severe disputes along the years. The artist has gained the reputation of being transgressive, dealing with subjects of religion, iconography and sexuality. Throughout most of his artistic career, Serrano has worked with conventional photographic methods but with a twist. Submerging objects in bodily fluids is what makes Serrano’s work incomprehensible to some and fascinating to others.
Come back tomorrow to know what the weekend awaits at Arles!
Images courtesy of ©Rencontres Arles
Thumbnail image ©Sebastien Lifshitz, Transgendered man, United States, circa 1930. Courtesy of the Sebastien Lifshitz Collection.
