Rencontres d'Arles 2026 Highlights Five Photography Shows

The 57th edition of Rencontres d'Arles, running summer 2026 across over 40 venues in Arles, France, presents photography exhibitions that explore themes of ephemerality, fame, race, urban life, and colonial legacy. Alix Boillot's 'Farewell Beauty' features snow sculptures of Doric columns inspired by Vitruvius's 'De architectura', emphasizing beauty alone. Paul McCartney's '1963-64: Eyes of the Storm' displays over 250 images from his personal archive documenting The Beatles' rise to global stardom. Lee Schulman and Omar Victor Diop's 'Being Here' inserts Diop into 1950s-60s North American snapshots to comment on racial segregation. Harry Gruyaert's 'A Sense of Place' chronicles urban life across Antwerp, Moscow, Mumbai, New York, Paris, Tokyo, and Zanzibar through vibrant color and shadow. Sammy Baloji's 'Landscape Lens: a Katangese Crossing' examines colonial modernity in Katanga, focusing on the Hotel Impala in Holwezi, drawing on family history and research with anthropologist Filip De Boeck.