The continuous examination of materials from shifting perspectives through the use of diverse media forms the starting point of Esra Oezen’s artistic practice, which is characterized by a reduced aesthetic and a conceptual approach. She works with visual media such as books, photographs, and television sets as both conceptual and material carriers of her work. Repetition and the notion of apparent disappearance are central themes in her practice.

With the support of the grant, Esra Oezen seeks to build upon her recent work "Blessed Pages", which was created during an artist‑in‑residency program in Nepal. In this work, she invited five performers to look at the pages of a book that had previously been blessed with ritual markings (tilaka) by a Hindu priest. Visitors to the exhibition could only observe the performers as they turned the pages or look over their shoulders. As in much of her work, the question arises: What am I actually seeing? Is it the book, the person viewing the book, or the overall image of the repeated gesture that carries meaning? Or is it the viewers themselves who follow the action?

During the residency, Esra Oezen aims to further explore these questions and continue engaging with the interplay of seeing, showing, and making visible—not only through theoretical reflection, but through performative practice. She plans a series of small‑scale actions and stagings that investigate different aspects of perception. Of particular interest is the moment when seeing itself becomes the focus—not as a passive act, but as a conscious one.

What meanings emerge when the viewer’s gaze encounters the performers’ actions? And how does what is shown shape the act of seeing? The project seeks to examine the interdependencies between these roles and to develop new possibilities of showing and seeing.

Citizenship: Germany
Residence: Session 3 (06.04.-10.05.2026)