Images Festival 2018 turns Vevey into an open-air photo museum

I KNOW it’s a little late in the game to be telling you about the outdoor photography exhibition called Festival Images Vevey that since the 8th of this month has taken over the parks, buildings, streets (and even a portion of Lac Leman) of this picturesque city, but with six days still to go before the curtain drops on this biennial event, there’s still time to experience it.

I say “experience” because in keeping with its official theme  — “An out-of-the-ordinary Extravaganza”– the exhibition will have you looking at the world in a fresh and captivating way.

Shutterbug heaven

And for shutterbugs there’s no better canvas for practicing your photography skills, especially when the sun shines … as it’s supposed to until the 30th. That was my goal when I took in the exhibit last week along with fellow members of the American International Women’s Club (AIWC) photography group.

Showcasing the work of 58 artists from 19 countries in 61 locations scattered in and around the city, Festival Images has basically turned Vevey into an enormous open-air museum.

To plan your itinerary (unless you decide to go free-form) and to match artist to artwork, pick up an official guide at information points located at the Place de la Gare or at the Salle del Castillo, which is located in the central market area (Grande Place) near the Lake.

Several exhibitions are also being held at the Salle (you can’t and wouldn’t want to miss Erwin Wurm’s “Narrow House”), and it also hosts a visitor centre, a bar, a boutique and a shop.

Winning projects scoop up awards

A number of Grand Prix awards have been handed out during the three-week event and you may want to make a point of seeing the winning artists’ work during your visit. I was particularly struck by the Prix du Livre-winning collection of photos by Jono Rotman entitled “Mongrelism”.

His striking images of members of an indigenous Maori motorcycle gang in his native New Zealand made a strong impression even if they were hung amidst flea market stalls laden with trinkets, books and clothes in Vevey’s Old Market Hall.

There’s such a diversity of styles and subjects that every visitor will leave having been moved by one or more of the photographs displayed. Let me know which one leaves its mark on you. ♠

Caption main photo: Sunday Sun, 1937, by Rodney Graham, Festival Images Vevey. Photo: CLG.