Rotting From Within by Abdulhamid Kircher at Triennal Of Photography Hamburg

Abdulhamid Kircher's analogue photographic and installative work explores the consequences of patriarchy and violence, and the search for reconciliation and closeness.

Overview

The exhibition centres on a newly commissioned installation measuring more than nine metres wide, combining analogue photographs, texts, and archival material into a fragmented visual narrative. Moving between Berlin and Turkey, the work gradually reveals the complexities of father-son relationships while expanding to include the artist's paternal grandfather, creating a broader reflection on family history across generations.

Themes of loneliness, addiction, violence, grief, intimacy, and reconciliation unfold through Kircher's emotionally charged visual language, characterised by vivid colours and dramatic contrasts. Conceived as a living family archive, the installation brings together memories, encounters, and farewells, allowing personal stories to emerge piece by piece.

Curated by Nadine Isabelle Henrich, with curatorial assistance by Viktoria Rochambeau, the exhibition is accompanied by an accordion-fold publication featuring works from Rotting From Within, images from the artist's family archive, and a curatorial essay.

About The Artist

Abdulhamid Kircher is a German-Turkish artist working with analogue photography and installation. Born to German and Turkish parents, he moved to the United States with his mother at the age of eight before later living between New York and Berlin. His work explores family, memory, masculinity, violence, and reconciliation through deeply personal narratives. Kircher studied at The New School in New York and earned an MFA from the University of California, San Diego. His photobooks Rotting from Within (2024) and New Genesis (2026) were published by Loose Joints, and he is the recipient of the Grand Prix Images Vevey and the Hamburger Bahnhof Studio Award.