攝影——觀察與被觀察
在一個小城市衍展攝影的話題，展示當下中國豐富的影像資源，並對世界不同文化背景下的攝影進行探討，是我們創立連州國際攝影年展的初衷。
連州以極大的包容盛載了我們對於攝影的所有理想，人為策劃的攝影節卻像是源自於本體一樣自然地紮根、發芽，我想每一個去年來過的人都可以感受到一種獨特的連州風格的攝影節氛圍，某種意義上我們更加立足於中國，連州攝影年展只是中國攝影的一個出口，也是我們與世界攝影同步的契機。
在每一個城區舊建築改造而成的展區，在混雜著普通市民的多種風格的展覽中；在連州周圍的古老村莊；在夜晚的攝影幻燈放影會中；在城中每一個江邊大排檔的敞飲中……當看到攝影節獨特的連州原生態藝術表演的開幕式時，有藝術界朋友說，「攝影節就像是一個大型群眾運動，攝影的力量太強大了！也許只有攝影才能做到這樣」。這樣的評價很貼切，藝術本來就不應只在博物館裡，能如此貼近於社會，真的很好。
舉辦藝術、攝影或學術上某種形式的會、展，在世界範圍內，許多先行者已經作出了很好的榜樣，如：巴賽爾藝術博覽會、阿爾勒攝影節、日本山形紀錄片節等。作為後來者，我們將攝影這樣一種與人類的當代生活結合緊密的視覺交流形式再一次植根到一個小城市，它的影響與意義不僅在於攝影與相關的專業界本身，隨著時間的推移，它對於舉辦地的人與文化生態的影響也將會是深遠的，當然這些影響還會體現在經濟與社會生活諸方面。
攝影本身即是一種視覺表達與交流的媒介，「在當今世界，除了口傳和文本之外，意義還藉助於視覺而傳播。圖像傳達信息，提供快樂和悲傷，影響風格，決定消費，並且調節權力關係。我們看到誰？看不到誰？誰有特權處在威勢赫赫的體制內部？歷史上過去的事件哪些方面實際上擁有流通性視覺表徵，哪些方面並不擁有？誰會對何種視覺圖像所提供的何種東西產生幻覺？這些便是我們對於圖像及其傳播所提出的部分問題。」伊雷特羅戈夫站在視覺文化的角度，對視覺領域的圖像進行文化上的解構。
我們試圖通過連州的每一個展覽來傳達攝影本質的意義，以及它衍生出的其它意義，我們希望能夠使觀者能夠在其固有的觀看模式中發現新的觀看方式，今年，我們更加將它作為主題提出——「觀察與被觀察」。
我們對於攝影的探討將回到攝影本身，主體與客體，觀看與被觀看，私密性觀看與社會性觀看……我們的多數展覽也將圍繞主題展開討論。我們的國內外策展人們也將會帶來他們推崇的攝影師的作品，他們將繼續固守著他們近乎苟刻的策展標準。在展覽空間方面，去年我們請了「哈佛」的建築博士來操刀，今年改造新的「空間」，我們同樣會作足功夫。「群眾運動」是一種有效的方式，但只有保持在某種水準基礎上的「群眾運動」才具有意義。
歡迎每一個熱愛藝術與不愛藝術的朋友，歡迎每一個熱愛攝影與不愛攝影的朋友，再次前來參加這場攝影與藝術的群眾運動！
總策展人：段煜婷
Photography - The Observer and the Observed
The Lianzhou International Photo Festival was born out of the desire to demonstrate the immense wealth of photography found in China while exploring photographic works from various cultural backgrounds in an exhibition held in a small-sized Chinese city.
Although organized by a team full of ideals and dreams about photography， a festival should grow naturally from the land it is held in. Last year『s edition gave most people a taste of the Lianzhou International Photo Festival’s remarkable ambiance—a unique chance for Chinese photography to meet the world and share the stage with the wider world of international photography.
Exhibition spaces grown out of the remodeling of ancient architecture， wanderings in the surrounding old villages， captivating nighttime slide shows， riverside food-stall activity， local folk color…While watching Lianzhou『s phenomenal opening ceremony， a friend active in the art world commented：「The festival is so intense it’s like those mass campaigns we used to have in the past！ Perhaps only photography possesses the ability to produce such a powerful effect.」Such praise is justified， for art isn『t only meant for museums， and it’s marvelous for it to have an opportunity to reach out and touch the masses.
There are pioneers around the world who have already provided a model for holding an artistic， photographic and academic forum or exhibition in a uniquely symbolic city with limited capabilities and a relatively peaceful environment： the Basel Art Expo， the Arle Photography Festival， and the Yamagata Film Festival. As latecomers， we have taken photography， this visual form that is tightly intertwined with mankind『s contemporary life， and once again planted it in a small city. Its influence and significance will not merely be limited to its related fields and professions； over time， it will have a profound impact on the people and cultural state of the place where it is held. Of course its influence will also manifest in many aspects of economy and society as well.
Photography is in essence a medium for visual expression and interaction.「In this society， aside from speaking and writing， meaning can also be spread through the use of the visual. Images spread information， provide joy and sorrow， effect style， determine consumption and alter power relationships. Who do we see？ Who don『t we see？ Who has the right to be within the system of power and righteousness？ Which events in history truly possess flowing visual characteristics， and which ones do not？ Who can produce a vision from what is provided by the visual image？ These are some of our questions regarding images and their dissemination.」Irit Rogoff is looking from the perspective of visual culture and engaging in cultural construction of images in the visual field.
Through each edition of the Lianzhou Festival， we try to lead the viewer to discover new ways of viewing， and this year『s theme「The Observer and the Observed」was conceived with the viewer in mind.
Exhibitions will discuss topics revolving around the theme， touching on such subjects as the essence of photography， objectivity and subjectivity， the observer and the observed， and personal and public interpretations； curators from home and abroad will present works by highly esteemed photographers that meet the criteria of the exhibition； and the exhibition space， like last year『s Harvard professor of architecture-designed space， will be creatively and meticulously carved out， for while the concept of「mass campaign」is a useful paradigm for the festival， it only bears significance if the event is based on certain standards.
We open our arms to the public—to all those who love or do not love art， to all those who love or do not love photography， and to all those who have come before or who will come again—and welcome it to take part in this great「mass」celebration of the art of photography.
Duan Yuting
Director， Lianzhou International Photo Festival
（編輯：李瑾）