Reflection of the Exhibition's Research and Concept Development
Places in the In-Between

The concept for the exhibition Places in the In-Between was conceived during the Tawasol Workshop in Beirut, Lebanon, in the fall of 2023, where Jan Ennker, Julia Hartmann and Ricarda Hommann identified a shared interest in exploring transcultural knowledge transfer through contemporary art. Recognizing the potential of an exhibition as a means to facilitate this exploration, they decided to further develop the idea through individual research residencies.

Initially centered on the theme of inherited nostalgia, the project evolved as the curatorial team refined its approach, ultimately focusing on memory and remembrance as key elements in the transmission of knowledge across generations and national contexts. This shift was influenced by their engagement with local artists, curators and cultural institutions, as well as their reflections on diaspora and cultural heritage. Through their research, they recognized that these processes are deeply intertwined with the spaces in which they unfold. This led them to shift their focus towards urbanity and urban spaces as safekeepers of knowledge, exploring how cities serve as living archives of history and identity.

As part of this process, Ricarda Hommann conducted a two-month residency in Tunis, where she explored how memory is embedded in artistic practices and how knowledge transfer occurs within Tunisia’s cultural landscape. During this time, she immersed herself in Tunis’ vibrant cultural landscape, engaging with both independent and institutional art spaces, including various galleries and artist residency programs. Through this exploration, she connected with Tom Egoumenides, a designer and artist who runs the RSCL Art Research Design Space – an innovative gallery situated in the Le Kram neighborhood, directly overlooking the beach. This encounter led to a collaboration that ultimately secured RSCL as the exhibition venue, seamlessly integrating the themes of urbanity and liminality into the show’s setting.

While Ricarda Hommann has conducted her residency in Tunis, Jan Ennker and Julia Hartmann carried out theirs in Cairo. There they quickly discovered that the field of artisanal craftsmanship offered a rich trove for their research relating to the question as to how a society meditates its cultural heritage and transfers its knowledge from one generation on to the next. They had met various architects, artists, designers and artisans who are heavily invested in the preservation of Egypts, and more precisely Cairos, tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Furthermore they immersed themselves in contemporary art spaces, galleries and artists residency programs and during one of those visits they also met Aisha Azab, who was the first artist to join the group’s endeavour.

The culmination of their research is the exhibition Places in the In-Between, set to open in Tunis on April 10, 2025. The exhibition explores the emotional tension between belonging and anonymity in urban spaces, positioning cities as both repositories of history and sites of continuous transformation. Places in the In-Between will feature four artists whose works engage with the layered histories and imprints of urban environments. Mehdi Ben Temessek (Tunisia) presents analog photography pieces capturing the medina of Tunis, revealing the interplay between personal memory and collective urban history. Caro Jost (Munich) contributes her STREETPRINTS – paintings created using imprints of urban streets from different cities around the world – preserving the physical traces of movement, time, and transformation in public spaces. Luka Toprak (Berlin) creates a sound installation featuring recordings from the Berlin cityscape, installed outside the gallery to contrast with the beach scenery, evoking the juxtaposition of different urban experiences.

Aisha Azab (Cairo) presents intricate embroidery works mapping her journey through the city, visualizing her navigation of urban space through tactile, stitched cartographies.By integrating research from both Tunis and Cairo, Places in the In-Between offers an intimate reflection on what it means to navigate the complexities of identity and belonging in today’s urban landscapes. The exhibition invites viewers to reconsider the spaces they inhabit—both physically and emotionally—posing the question: Can a place truly ever belong to us, or do we always remain in the in-between?