New Swiss Views

Photography, 104 p, German/French/Italian/English

'New Swiss Views' is the sequel to New Dutch Views for which Marwan Bassiouni photographed the Dutch landscape from inside the prayer rooms of Islamic places of worship. Two years later, the artist embarked on another road trip across a national landscape. Traveling through mountains, lakes and countrysides; and into the cities, suburbs and villages Bassiouni turned his lens once more towards the views overlooking the windows of mosques. However this time he focused on the iconic Swiss landscape while exploring the presence and identity of the Swiss Muslim community. 'New Swiss Views' introduces developments in Bassiouni's approach to landscape and architectural photography while identifying the unique character of an often industrial Swiss Islamic architecture. The content of these images sheds light on the conditions of a growing yet young and modest minority while inviting a contemplation on coexistence and suggesting a different representation of ‘Islam’ in the West.