Manifesta 16 Faces Plagiarism Claim Over Church Installation in Essen
A dispute over two participatory church works has put Manifesta 16 under scrutiny in Germany’s Ruhr region. German artist Dorothee Bielfeld says Nasan Tur’s installation “Elevation,” on view in St. Gertud Church in Essen, closely resembles her earlier work “Aufrichten (Raising Up),” and she has asked the biennial to remove it from the exhibition.
Bielfeld’s complaint centers on the visual and conceptual overlap between the two pieces. “Elevation” is built from reclaimed church pews installed on their side and engraved with anonymous reflections submitted by the public. Her own “Aufrichten,” created for Ruhr.2010, used 29 wooden pews positioned upright in Hamburg’s Christ-König-Kirche, with visitors invited to place written thoughts into pipes embedded in the wall. Bielfeld said the earlier work grew out of her research into decommissioned churches and the changing role of worship spaces.
Speaking to the German outlet Waz, Bielfeld said she was “absolutely devastated” after seeing images of Tur’s work. She added that she contacted Manifesta 16 less than an hour after learning about “Elevation” to request its removal.
The biennial, however, has stood by the installation. In a statement, Manifesta 16 said the works bear only “superficial” visual similarities and that curators Leonie Herweg and René Block, “without prejudice,” determined Tur’s piece to be artistically independent. The organization also noted that Tur’s work is part of an ongoing participatory project.
Tur rejected the accusation in an emailed statement, calling it “false and baseless.” He said the coverage has affected him “deeply” and added that he had sought legal counsel after Bielfeld allegedly sent a threatening letter through her lawyer rather than agreeing to a face-to-face meeting.
The controversy has emerged as Manifesta 16 unfolds across Duisburg, Essen, Gelsenkirchen, and Bochum from June 21 through October 4. This year’s edition uses 12 historic churches as sites for contemporary installations, framing repurposed sacred spaces as places for civic and cultural encounter.
