The festival officially began on July 15, but some projects come to life on different dates. This is notably the case for North End, an exhibition by French photographer Géraldine Lay, which opens this week. Presented at the Vaste et Vague artist center, the exhibition will run from July 25 to August 23.
→ About the exhibition:
In 2009, the Pôle Photographique Diaphane invited me to take part in the “Destinations Europe” project, and I chose to explore Glasgow. Fascinated by post-industrial regions ravaged by Thatcherism, I have returned to the northwest of the United Kingdom every year since. In 2015, as a winner of the Institut français’s “Hors les Murs” program, I set out to conclude this series. North End blends portraits and urban landscapes, capturing the scenery of old Europe in bursts of light and color.
→ About the artist:
Géraldine Lay, born in 1972 in Mâcon, lives in Arles. A graduate of the École Nationale de la Photographie in 1997, she also works at Éditions Actes Sud as a photography editor. Her work is represented by the Sit Down gallery in Paris.
This exhibition is presented with the financial support of the Consulate General of France in Québec City.
→ Spotlight on the France–Quebec partnership:
For over 10 years, Rencontres and Diaphane, pôle photographique en Hauts-de-France, have been developing an international platform for artistic exchange. This partnership fosters exploration and international dissemination through a program of reciprocal residencies and exhibitions.
Supported by the Fonds Franco-Québécois pour la coopération décentralisée (FFQCD) through biennial calls for projects, this initiative has enabled around fifteen artists –photographers and writers – to be hosted on both sides of the Atlantic. These residencies have led to numerous original creations, including exhibitions, journals and collective publications.
As part of this collaboration, Rencontres is welcoming artist Taïssia Froidure this year.
In the fall of 2026, French photojournalist Victorine Alisse will, in turn, be hosted in the Gaspé Peninsula. That residency, supported by the Institut français and the Hauts-de-France Region, will allow her to develop a new project in the region, which will be presented during the 18th edition of Rencontres in 2027.
This long-standing partnership between France and Québec reflects a shared commitment to supporting artist mobility, contemporary creation and intercultural exchange.
We would like to warmly thank our current and past partners for their commitment to these bilateral projects:
- Diaphane, pôle photographique en Hauts-de-France
- Fonds Franco-Québécois pour la coopération décentralisée
- Délégation du Québec à Paris
- Consulat général de France à Québec
- Institut français + Région Hauts-de-France
- DRAC Hauts-de-France
Top image: © Géraldine Lay, North End