Manifesta 16 Biennial Opens in Ruhr Region Churches

The 16th edition of the European travelling art biennial Manifesta opened in the German Ruhr region, using twelve former churches in Bochum, Duisburg, Essen and Gelsenkirchen as exhibition spaces. The €9.8 million event, titled “This is not a church”, showcases works mainly by artists with migration backgrounds and seeks to spark reflection on the area's structural economic and social crises after the end of coal mining, steel and chemical industry decline, as well as the broader impact of the wars in Ukraine and Iran.

Spanish architect and Manifesta co‑curator Josep Bohigas stressed, “We do not propose to turn the churches back into churches or make them museums, lecture halls or cultural icons.” Co‑curator Gürsoy Doğtaş highlighted the focus on migrant artists such as Nil Yalter, Mihály Moldvay and Nejla Gür, whose pieces document community life and migration experiences.