Western Union Series No.12 (Balustrade) (2007)—part of Julien’s iconic photography and film series, ‘Western Union Small Boats’ —traverses continents and cultures in a quest for the betterment of life. A body, arched and curved to echo the form of Baroque architecture, ascends the staircase carried from the shore to this opulent interior. Set in the Palazzo Valguarnera-Gangi, the famed Sicilian location for Luchino Visconti's masterpiece ‘The Leopard’ (1963), two opposing worlds represent the dramatic contrasts of this series: the dual, entwining narratives journey into both Italian cinema and the historic movement of people from Africa to Europe, revealing themes of displacement, migration, and desire for capital.