Souleymane Bachir Diaw's 'Sutura' at Les Rencontres d'Arles: Unmasking Identity Through Fabric
At the Les Rencontres d'Arles festival, Senegalese artist Souleymane Bachir Diaw is showcasing his exhibition titled 'Sutura,' running through October 4. This display, part of the 2026 Louis Roederer Foundation Discovery award, delves into themes of memory, space, and materiality. Diaw's work includes introspective self-portraits and still life compositions that challenge notions of identity and patriarchal masculinity, employing items such as scarves and hijabs. Featured pieces include 'Self-Portrait Resting on Rabbal, Earth Tone' (2021), 'White Cotton Headpieces on Clothes Line' (2022), and the provocative 'Self-Portrait in a Black Suit and Brown Silky Fabric' (2025).
Key facts
- Souleymane Bachir Diaw's solo show 'Sutura' is at Les Rencontres d'Arles festival until 4 October.
- The exhibition is presented as part of the 2026 Louis Roederer Foundation Discovery award.
- Diaw is a multidisciplinary artist working with research, photography, installation, and sound.
- The works explore processes of transformation affecting memory, space, and materials.
- The images examine patriarchal masculinity through garments like scarves, hijabs, and grand boubou.
- The series includes self-portraits and still lifes, all photographed by the artist.
- The exhibition runs at Les Rencontres d'Arles, a photography festival in France.
- The title 'Sutura' likely refers to sutures or seams, metaphorically stitching together identity.
Entities
Artists
- Souleymane Bachir Diaw
- Thato Toeba
Institutions
- Les Rencontres d'Arles
- Louis Roederer Foundation
- Rencontres de la photographie d'Arles
- Fondation Louis Roederer
- RFI
Locations
- Arles
- France