Ten years ago, the curator Jean-Marie Donat stumbled upon a monumental collection of photographs. It was a cache of 10,000 negatives for French official immigration documents, 100 studio portraits, and 700 wallet prints that chronicled Northern and Sub-Saharan African immigrants in Belsunce, a poverty-stricken district in the port city of Marseille. Though little is known about the backstories of these men and women, their pictures convey silent messages. They don’t look European, yet wear European clothes. And there’s a universal uncertainty in their demeanors. This is a powerful show. —Elena Clavarino
The Arts Intel Report
Don't Forget Me
From the exhibition, an immigration photograph.
When
July 3 – Sept 24, 2023
Where
Etc
Photo courtesy of the Jean-Marie Donat Collection