Art in Abandoned Churches: The Polish Presence at Manifesta 16 Ruhr
This year’s edition of Manifesta takes place in Bochum, Essen, Duisburg and Gelsenkirchen – four cities in Germany’s Ruhr region. The exhibitions occupy twelve former and now-abandoned church buildings, transforming them into sites for artistic projects and community-based initiatives.
The choice of venue is no coincidence. For decades, churches built after World War II were important centres of social life and symbols of rebuilding community. Today, as social structures change and the role of organised religion declines, many of these buildings stand empty.
Under the deliberately provocative title This Is Not a Church, organisers and artists reveal the potential embedded within these spaces and ask what lessons from the past might help us imagine a better future. Manifesta 16 Ruhr proposes viewing former churches not only as buildings of historical significance but also as places that can be given new social functions. In this sense, the biennial asks how communities can rebuild social bonds and create accessible spaces for gathering in a world shaped by crises, division and weakening social connections.
Invited Polish participants include Mirosław Bałka, Zuza Golińska, Nicolas Grospierre, Jarosław Kozłowski, Katarzyna Kozyra, Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, Anka Sasnal, Wilhelm Sasnal and Mikołaj Sobczak. Together, they represent different generations, artistic languages and approaches to contemporary art – from internationally renowned figures to emerging voices. Some are presenting existing works at Manifesta, while others are unveiling new commissions created specifically for the selected church spaces.
Manifesta is one of the world’s leading international contemporary art events, taking place every two years in a different European location. Unlike most biennials, it does not simply present artworks; instead, each edition begins with a close engagement with a particular place, its history, social tensions and future challenges. Its aim is not only to stage exhibitions, but also to foster tangible social change through projects rooted in local contexts and developed in collaboration with local communities.
This edition will focus on the historic architectural and social renewal that occurred in the post-war era of the Ruhr Area, marked by the construction of Modernist and Brutalist churches, built to address the urgent needs of reconstruction and rapid population growth. The churches became a powerful new symbol of democracy, exemplifying citizen involvement as they were constructed with the physical manpower of the local communities.
Although these post-war churches have left a significant architectural legacy, a decline in church attendance over the last 30 years has led to many being abandoned or underused. The fate of these churches — whether they are to be demolished, repurposed or left to decay — requires urgent attention.
This edition’s Manifesta Artistic Team includes Hedwig Fijen, Henry Meyric-Hughes, Josep Bohigas, René Block, Leonie Herweg, Michael Kurtz, Gürsoy Doğtaş, and Polish art historians, critics and curators Anda Rottenberg and Krzystof Kościuczuk.