Mirosław Bałka, Katharina Fritsch and Mona Hatoum at Manifesta 16

Mirosław Bałka, Katharina Fritsch and Mona Hatoum will take part in this year’s edition of Manifesta, taking place in the Ruhr region in Germany. Marking the 30th anniversary of the European Nomadic Biennial, Manifesta 16 will unfold over 15 weeks across four cities – Bochum, Essen, Duisburg and Gelsenkirchen.

Each artist will present newly commissioned work for the biennial. Bałka’s ‘Madonna’, 2026 is on view at Christ-König and ‘Heimat’, 2026 is at at Gethsemane-Kirche. Fritsch presents her new commission ‘Birkenkreuz’, 2026, at St. Marien, Essen. Hatoum's works ‘Electrified (St. Gertrud)’, 2026 and ‘Measures of Distance’, 1988, are both be shown at St. Gertrud, Essen.

The biennial will bring together more than 100 participants, including artists and collectives, with works presented across 12 former or abandoned church buildings.

This year’s edition of Manifesta considers how, in a time marked by disinformation and polarisation, art and culture can contribute to the development of alternative social models. It also explores how open spaces and vacant buildings can be used to counteract division and isolation.