Lafayette Anticipations in Paris: our photos from the Diego Marcon and Ladji Diaby exhibitions.

In Paris, Lafayette Anticipations presents from April 1 to July 19, 2026 two contemporary art exhibitions dedicated to Diego Marcon and Ladji Diaby. The foundation brings together two distinct artistic approaches, spanning a cinematic universe, emerging creation, image-making, visual narration, and the expression of emotions.

Lafayette Anticipations presents in Paris two contemporary art exhibitions dedicated to Diego Marcon and Ladji Diaby, running from April 1 to July 19, 2026. Hosted within the foundation, this program launches a new cycle focused on the young, emerging art scene and brings together two artists with contrasting approaches to questions of image, narrative, the body, and emotion. Through this double program, the venue offers a nuanced reading of contemporary creation, balancing cinematic installation, sensory experience, and an exploration of everyday gestures.

Regarding the exhibition Prom by Diego Marcon, the Italian artist fills the foundation’s raw spaces with a site-specific, monumental installation conceived as an Italian theater for screening four short films. Here he presents, among other works, Krapfen (2025), his latest film, alongside several earlier pieces. His practice probes the codes of cinema, fiction, and manufactured emotion, in a universe where images, music, and staging blur the boundary between reality and operatic representation. The exhibition thus emerges as an immersive experience focused on visual storytelling and the sensory power of the film medium.

On the upper floors, Ladji Diaby presents a new cycle devoted to the young, emerging art scene. His exhibition engages space, the body, and everyday gestures through a contemporary, direct, and embodied visual language. Through this strong presence, Lafayette Anticipations also underscores its interest in emerging practices and contemporary artistic forms that challenge the gaze, matter, and perception.

Two artistic proposals, two immersive experiences

Diego Marcon blurs the lines between auteur cinema, animation, musical drama, and film that feels a touch stranger. With Prom, he turns the museum into a space that reads like a cinema unlike any other. There we discover several films, including Krapfen, but also objects, sets, and behind-the-scenes materials that lay bare the machinery of making. His works consistently fuse gentleness, unease, and oddity, placing ambiguous characters in situations that can be disorienting. All of it unfolds within the intimate world of home and family, prompting us to interrogate our emotions, social norms, and the way images shape our gaze. With Krapfen, the exhibition offers a haunting experience that sits between curiosity, discomfort and fascination.

Ladji Diaby is among the young artists who probe identity, cultural heritage, and the role we play in society. For his exhibition Who's gonna save the World ?, he presents an installation built from furniture spotted on the curb or found on the street, reworked to display abandoned objects. The approach echoes a personal memory: his mother's habit of decorating the family furniture to give it a spiritual dimension. Through these objects and their transformations, the artist questions the value we place on things as well as on stories and people. His work carries a blend of personal, political, and spiritual strands, underscoring the idea that real change cannot come from a single individual but from collective action.

Our take on the Diego Marcon and Ladji Diaby exhibitions at Lafayette Anticipations:

Two shows we were able to preview ahead of the opening. Each proposal, wildly distinct, spans a broad spectrum of contemporary art—from sculpture to cinema. Both exhibitions take their time to unfold: we settle into Diego Marcon’s Italian theatre to immerse ourselves in his world, in four acts, and we wander among Ladji Diaby’s furniture through a surreal, arty wonderland.

Our recommendations:

Note that you’re free to approach the exhibitions in any order you prefer: either start with Ladji Diaby or with Diego Marcon. But be aware that Marcon’s show unfolds across two floors (the first and the second), and you’ll need to begin on the second floor (the Italian theatre) to then explore the accessories around the short films.

Ladji Diaby’s exhibition, by contrast, is on the third floor. Also note that it runs through a fairly narrow corridor, and a limit of 15 visitors is enforced for the space. Both exhibitions are accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.

Lafayette Anticipations, in the heart of the Marais district, offers a raw, modular setting, perfectly suited to exhibitions conceived as environments in their own right. The atmosphere is conducive to contemplative solo visits, but also to stimulating exchanges between friends. The aim here is not to consume art, but to immerse oneself in it, to lose oneself in it for a moment.

The building also houses a specialized bookshop and a café, to extend the experience in an inspiring environment. An ideal place to spend a timeless afternoon of reflection, emotion and artistic discovery.

This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.