Being There: Shulman and Diop at Arles

The exhibition 'Being There' at Les Rencontres de la Photographie in Arles brings together the work of British filmmaker and photographer Lee Shulman and Senegalese photographer Omar Victor Diop. The show, which originated as an editorial project, features around sixty photographs that transform everyday life into a kaleidoscopic epiphany, addressing the social consequences of misguided choices. The work critiques the outdated concepts that underpinned the culture of the so-called Trente Glorieuses in the Western world, spanning the years from 1945 onward. The exhibition is part of the renowned Arles photography festival, which runs from July to September 2026. The collaboration between Shulman and Diop creates an alchemical reaction that highlights the shadows of absence and the cruelty of social outcomes. The project has been described as a family album, reflecting on the legacy of post-war Western civilization.