Nasan Tur
Nasan Tur draws inspiration from the tensions and messages embedded in urban settings, offering
an evocative commentary on ideological conflicts and societal failures. Tur’s thought-provoking video installation Invisible (2004) offers a compelling exploration of the hidden presences of Muslim communities in German cities, shedding light on the complex dynamics of integration, visibility, and cultural identity in contemporary cityscapes. Invisible features secretly filmed footage capturing the entrances of Islamic institutions in various German cities. The mosques and cultural centres blend seamlessly into the urban texture, occupying nondescript buildings, backyards, and converted spaces that bear no outward signs of their religious or cultural significance. Through this visual narrative, Tur invites the audience to confront the predicament of integration and cultural erasure. On one hand, the ‘invisible’ nature of such spaces speaks to a high level of assimilation—Muslim communities adapt to the existing urban landscape rather than shape it. On the other hand, this invisibility raises questions about the suppression of cultural and religious identity and the right to visible representation in public space. Invisible aligns with Tur’s broader artistic practice, which often grapples with social and ethical dimensions of community action, as well as issues of selfhood and identity. In contrast, his work Mirrors (2017/2024) features text seemingly rendered by hand in the condensation of a bathroom mirror, this association evoking a sense of intimacy. Through this installation, he continues to scrutinize the friction between resistance and repression, freedom of expression, and social pressure on individuals.
Works in the exhibition: Invisible (2004), installation consisting of ten monitors, metal shelf, dimensions vary; Mirrors (2017/2024), series of etched mirrors, 80 × 100 cm. Courtesy of the artist