Shuman Wang wins the 2022 Jimei Arles "Image Curator Award"

On November 25, 2022, the Three Shadows Photography Art Center and Chanel jointly presented the Shortlist Exhibition of the Image Curator Award on the occasion of the 2022 (8th) Jimei Arles International Photography Season, and announced the winner of the current Jimei Arles Image Curator Award and the special nomination of the jury. After three rounds of careful discussion and voting by the jury, Wang Shuman won the 2022 Jimei Arles "Image Curator Award" with her program "New Survivors".



The 2022 Jimei Arles "Image Curator Award Shortlisted Scheme Exhibition" focused on five groups of schemes: "Camera: A device of love and images" (curated by Huang Yuting & Xu Zhibo), "Differential River Valley" (curated by Chen Junyao & Wang Buyun), "New Survivors" (curated by Wang Shuman), "A Mirror to the End" (curated by Wang Shuman) Hou Yuyao) and "Neverland and the End of the World" (curatorial team: Probe Group). On the one hand, the shortlisted projects are closely related to the exploration of photography and video language, and on the other hand, through different angles and aspects, keenly capture and explore the most pressing cultural and political issues of our time.

The 2022 Jimei Arles "Image Curator Award" specially invites experts and scholars in the field of imaging to form a panel of judges: Cao Dan, publisher of Art News/Chinese Edition, ArtReview China, LEAP Art World, Christoph Wisner, Director of the French Arles Photography Festival and co-director of Jimei Arles International Photography Festival; Gu Zheng, curator, critic, Artistic director of Jimei Arles International Photography Festival and Professor of Journalism School of Fudan University; He Jing, senior art critic, curator and young scholar; He Yining, scholar and curator of photography history; Lisa Springer, curator of photography Tours at the Victoria and Albert Museum, UK. Doctor of History, curator, Fudan University School of Philosophy young researcher Lu Mingjun, OCAT Shenzhen Academic director, Chinese contemporary photography artist, Jimei Arles International Photography Festival co-initiator and co-director Rong Rong. After three rounds of careful discussion and voting by the jury, Wang Shuman won the 2022 Jimei Arles "Image Curator Award" with her program "New Survivors".


The jury evaluated Wang Shuman's program: The occurrence of trauma, how to face trauma and the recognition, processing and writing of traumatic memories have always been major and severe problems faced by mankind. Shuman Wang's exhibition project, "New Survivors", uses a variety of styles, including photography, moving images and video installations, with a relatively complete structure and rich presentation, reminding us of the complexity of trauma as a human experience, and also stimulating us to think about how to face trauma and transform it into a common experience and heritage of mankind. The path and artist selection of her program both present the rich texture and texture of traumatic memories and forms, and activate the imagination of how to visualize traumatic memories. Fundamentally speaking, whether it is individual or ethnic trauma caused by human beings for various reasons, in what sense can artistic expression enhance the visibility of trauma, explore the causes and mechanisms of trauma formation, and explore the possibility of trauma healing, so as to form a possibility of survival from trauma, which is our common topic. Wang Shuman's curatorial scheme is both a scheme and an answer.

With the support of this project, "New Survivors" will enter the implementation phase and will hold an exhibition in 2023. Award-winning curator Wang Shuman will also launch the "Video Curator Award" cultivation program, which includes academic research, exchange activities and a cash prize of 100,000 yuan.



The other four shortlisted schemes were also highly evaluated by the jury. "Camera Obscura: An installation of love and Images" (curatorial team: Huang Yuting & Xu Zhibo) was specially nominated by judge Lu Mingjun: As the predecessor of the camera, the operation of the camera obscura has a secret mechanism, that is, it is not only the object, but also the subject. Coincidentally, this secret mechanism is also reflected in human sexual desire. The two curators were keen to discover this unique perspective.


"Differential River Valley" (curatorial team: Jun Yao Chen & Buyun Wang) received special nomination from the jury He Yining: The project of "Differential River Valley" is based on the personal experience and research interests of the two curators, and attempts to connect the specific Chinese experience with Chinese contemporary art practice, to establish a research and exhibition framework between the issues of agriculture, agriculture, ecological perception and multiple creation. The project shows the richness of the curatorial team's selection of works, encompassing practices that extend from contemporary art to broader artistic production and social engagement. It is expected that the curatorial team can think about the possibility of deep integration of the three field cases (Dafen Village in Shenzhen, Shouguang City in Shandong Province, and Caoxian County in Shandong Province) with artists' practice in the future cooperation.


"Never Land and the End of the World" (curatorial Team: Probe Panel) received a special nomination from judge Lisa Springer: Never Land and the End of the World is a multifaceted exploration of the devastating effects of nuclear energy. Through the clever use of archival material, fictional films and contemporary artistic positions, the Probe team draws the viewer's attention to the exhibition to understand the complex situations of war, fear, propaganda and entertainment and utopia. This is a very important thematic program, and the current era has given this thematic program a new importance and urgency.



"One Mirror to the End" (Curator: Hou Yuyao) won the special nomination of the jury Rong Rong: "One Mirror to the End" avoids a lot of copywriting information, through a simple and direct way, the use of independent language of the image, spatial depth switching and integration, let the viewer participate. In this scheme, the expression of photography and images is placed in the lens operator's observation perspective, and the object in the lens is used to complete the viewing and cognition of the self.


As Gu Zheng, curator, critic, Artistic director of Jimei Arles International Photography Festival, judge of the "Image Curator Award" and professor of Journalism School of Fudan University, said: "In the Chinese contemporary art and contemporary photography scene, numerous active curators have become an important factor and force to promote the development of art. The Image Curator Award, as the only professional award in China, will promote the healthy development of the profession of curators, which is developing well in China and has a considerable industry scale, and provide new impetus and stimulation for the development of Chinese contemporary art and photography."

The establishment of the Jimei Arles "Video Curator Award" will continue to encourage more young curators to participate in the study and research of video art with a more open and diverse attitude, enter the public eye on a larger scale, help promote the promotion and voice of contemporary excellent video creation, and reaffirm Chanel's commitment to encouraging creative freedom and cultivating human potential, so as to promote positive impact on the world.

Jimei Arles "Image Curator Award" is jointly launched by Three Shadows Photography Art Center and Chanel in 2021, with the core of supporting young image creativity, and is committed to discovering and cultivating outstanding young Chinese image curators and researchers.


Author: Jimei Arles International Photography
Editing: Image China Network
Source: Jimei Arles International Photography

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