The renowned Rencontres d'Arles photography festival is marking its 57th edition this year, while the association Lët'z Arles is celebrating its tenth consecutive participation in the event.
Marking this milestone, the Luxembourgish contribution has moved to a new venue: instead of its usual slot in the Chapelle, it now occupies the Mécanique Générale.
The 2026 exhibition brings together the work of two artists, Edward Steichen and Lisa Oppenheim, both of whom engage with the relationship between photography and the natural world.
One part of the exhibition, titled "Edward Steichen and Nature", presents around 80 photographs, documents, and a painting by the celebrated Luxembourgish-American photographer, who died in 1973.
These works are drawn from the collections of Luxembourg’s National Museum, the National Audio-Visual Centre (CNA), the Rencontres d'Arles collection, and the Estate of Edward Steichen.
Some pieces have never been shown to the public before, as Ariana Stahmer, Steichen's great-granddaughter and representative of the Estate, highlights.
“It is incredible to be here and see works I grew up with hanging on the walls of my own home, now displayed in this beautiful exhibition as part of the Rencontres d'Arles,” Stahmer reflects.
According to her, his gardening and his deep love of nature is very tightly connected to his Luxembourgish roots and really help to put his work into context. "I think this was a wonderful choice for the exhibition.”
Alongside Steichen, artist Lisa Oppenheim presents her exhibition "Monsieur Steichen", which delves into some of the lesser-known practices of Steichen and investigates the complex ties between photography and nature.
For this project, Oppenheim conducted research in both Luxembourg and the United States. A version of this exhibition was previously presented at Mudam in 2025.
The Rencontres d'Arles, one of Europe's leading photography festivals, continues in the French city of Arles until 4 October.
