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The Arts Intel Report

Don't Forget Me

From the exhibition, an immigration photograph.

July 3 – Sept 24, 2023
34 Rue du Dr Fanton, 13200 Arles, France

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

Photo courtesy of the Jean-Marie Donat Collection