Situated in the south of France, slap bang in the Provence region, Arles tops most of those “must visit” lists. Once the provincial capital of ancient Rome, the city remains a cultural hub, home to a multitude of incredible museums and galleries including the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh, Musée de l’Arles Antique and the Museon Arlaten. Arles has also played host to the annual international photography competition, Rencontres d’Arles, since 1970 and now also to The Art of Colour, the Dior Photography Award for Young Talents.
For the second edition of the Award, in partnership with L’Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie, Arles (ENSP) and hosted by Luma Arles, Gangao Lang has been announced as the 2019 recipient of the prize. The 21-year-old Chinese photographer’s painting inspired works titled Second Self-Introduction, was selected from the shortlisted 10 international applicants by a panel of industry veterans including the award’s president and French photographer Dominique Issermann, the president and founder of Luma Arles Maja Hoffmann, Simon Baker, the director of the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, photographer Sonia Sieff, Peter Phillips the creative and image director of Dior Make-up and Claude Martinez, president and CEO of Christian Dior Parfums.
For Second Self-Introduction Lang captured a series of portraits of her best friend Li Wanyue. “Her character made me want to represent a new version of the feminine beauty: to sublimate a strong, independent and sincere woman,” says Lang. “I take pictures of women exclusively. Observing and trying to understand the models my age has always inspired me,” she continues. “Its search for truth and beauty is able to change with time and remains in line with the ‘real world’.” Lang, who was born in Henan and moved to Shanghai to study photography at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, will receive a €10,000 grant from the House of Dior as well as a creative commission. The work of Yang and the other nine shortlisted emerging photographers will be on display at the Grande Halle of the Parc des Ateliers in Arles until September. Another reason to plan a trip we say.
The Art of Colour, the Dior Photography Award for Young Talents is on from 1st July – 22nd September 2019 at the Grande Halle at the Parc des Ateliers, Arles.
