Since the recruitment agreement signed in 1961, many Turks have come to Germany to work here. At the time, they were called guest workers, although they usually experienced little hospitality. The temporary departure often turned into an attempt to find a permanent home in a foreign culture.
People from Turkey also came to the Westphalian Ruhr region and the city of Ahlen from the 1960s onwards to find work at the Westfalen colliery. Many of them stayed even after the mine closed in 2000 and have long since become part of the city’s society. For this reason, the Ahlen Art Museum is taking an in-depth look at artistic reflections on migrant experiences.
The exhibition was curated by Prof. Dr. Burcu Doğramacı and Prof. Dr. Marta Smolińska.
The exhibition is accompanied by a program of readings, concerts and special guided tours as well as a catalog.
