Images from the Balkans: The Ottoman Legacy
Photo gallery: Traces of the Ottomans
22 August 2012
Five photographers, 50 monuments, one story: A Balkan Tale stands for what the Balkan peoples have in common: an Ottoman history. Five photographers traced their footsteps from Belgrade to the Greek Peloponnesus.
Today, not much unites the states in the Balkan region, but they have a common stance when it comes to a specific epoch of history: Ottoman rule from the 14th to the beginning of the 20th century. They perceive it as a long, lacklustre time of foreign domination without progress or cultural accomplishments. So it is not surprising that a large number of Ottoman structures are threatened with ruin or have already been destroyed. The structures are brought to light by the photo series by the five photographers from Albania, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia. The results can be seen at the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz from 10 June until 2 September.
