- Film & Video
- Photography
Istanbul, Germany
Enes Alba
3 July 2026 19:00–22:00
4 July 2026 11:00–19:00
'Istanbul, Germany' is a solo show by Istanbul-born, Berlin-based photographer and videomaker Enes Alba, and curated by Federico Rudari at Hours. The exhibition explores video and photographic queer portraiture within, across, and through two geographies, Turkey and Germany.
Central to the project's visual and narrative exploration is the idea that neither self-perception nor representation can exist in spatial, social, or perceptual isolation. The tension between inside and outside becomes a constant presence: domestic spaces of intimacy stand in contrast to exterior landscapes that ask to be approached, navigated, and (re)claimed. While social, political, and urban differences between the two contexts might appear evident, the freedom of domesticity blurs the contrasts that seem to intuitively characterise this polarity.
The result of a long-standing collaboration and friendship between Alba and Rudari, 'Istanbul, Germany' is conceived as a spontaneous response to the 2026 theme of 48 Stunden Neukölln, reflecting on the political and disruptive potential of intimacy and vulnerability - and on the ways these can inhabit public space, both through the artist’s work and within the exhibition itself. Alba's work takes over Hours in an experiment in domesticity, around which visitors are invited to gather and spend time together. Rather than invoking ceremoniality, the show turns to spontaneity as a long-standing means through which queer communities gather and reclaim their own modes of existence, as it foregrounds everyday gestures, improvised encounters, and vulnerable forms of togetherness and taking up space.
Central to the project's visual and narrative exploration is the idea that neither self-perception nor representation can exist in spatial, social, or perceptual isolation. The tension between inside and outside becomes a constant presence: domestic spaces of intimacy stand in contrast to exterior landscapes that ask to be approached, navigated, and (re)claimed. While social, political, and urban differences between the two contexts might appear evident, the freedom of domesticity blurs the contrasts that seem to intuitively characterise this polarity.
The result of a long-standing collaboration and friendship between Alba and Rudari, 'Istanbul, Germany' is conceived as a spontaneous response to the 2026 theme of 48 Stunden Neukölln, reflecting on the political and disruptive potential of intimacy and vulnerability - and on the ways these can inhabit public space, both through the artist’s work and within the exhibition itself. Alba's work takes over Hours in an experiment in domesticity, around which visitors are invited to gather and spend time together. Rather than invoking ceremoniality, the show turns to spontaneity as a long-standing means through which queer communities gather and reclaim their own modes of existence, as it foregrounds everyday gestures, improvised encounters, and vulnerable forms of togetherness and taking up space.
Biography
Enes Alba
Enes Alba (b. 1997, Istanbul) is a Berlin-based contemporary artist whose work explores intimacy, gender, and queer identity. “Sexy and political,” Alba’s artistic apporach utilises various media including photography and video installations to portray both personal and social narratives. He self-published the photobook ‘Burn Book’, a limited edition visual diary documenting the intimate struggles and connections of marginalised youth from Istanbul to Berlin. Recently, his solo video exhibition ‘Young and Beautiful’ (2024) featured reflections on identity and isolation. His most recent Berlin solo show, ‘Twink Death and Other Stories’, explicitly addressed the process of outgrowing the queer “twink ideal” as well as the experience of heartbreak.
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