Arles has established itself as an essential summer destination for art lovers touring the South of France. In 2022, South Korean artist Lee Ufan also opened his own foundation in the Hôtel Vernon, a historic mansion in central Arles. He has been a pioneering presence in the French and international art scenes since the 1970s, with a multilayered practice spanning photography, sculpture and painting. One of his concerns was that Arles remains more strongly associated with photography, and that its photography audience does not always have the same relationship to contemporary art. Fonds Bustamante Arles is backed by a circle of friends and partners, but the artist acknowledged it will still require a balanced operating model.