Marwan Bassouini, ‘New British Views #23, England’, 2021, 570 x 428 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Lawrie Shabibi.
Swiss-Egyptian artist and photographer Marwan Bassiouni presents works from his ongoing photographic series New Western Views as part of Backyard Biennial: East, Whitechapel Gallery’s ambitious new summer arts festival celebrating the cultural, social and creative histories of East London.
Developed in collaboration with more than forty local partners, Backyard Biennial: East reimagines the traditional biennial model through a community-led programme of exhibitions, performances, screenings, workshops and public events. Spanning venues across East London, the festival explores themes of migration, belonging, place-making and collective histories—subjects that resonate deeply with Bassiouni’s artistic practice.
For over a decade, Bassiouni has explored the relationship between Islamic identity and Western culture through photography. His acclaimed series New Western Views examines how Muslim communities inhabit and contribute to contemporary Western societies. The project consists of photographs taken from within mosques across Europe and North America, framing the surrounding landscape through windows, doorways and architectural openings.
Drawing on the tradition of landscape photography, Bassiouni shifts the perspective from which these environments are typically viewed. Rather than photographing mosques from the outside, he positions the viewer within spaces of worship, looking outward onto cities, suburbs, industrial zones and rural landscapes. This subtle reversal challenges assumptions about visibility, identity and belonging, offering an alternative lens through which to consider the presence of Muslim communities in the West.
Central to the series is the notion of perspective. The photographs reveal familiar landscapes while simultaneously transforming them through their framing. The architectural features of each mosque become part of the composition, creating a dialogue between interior and exterior, faith and everyday life, personal experience and public space. In doing so, Bassiouni questions who is looking, from where, and how cultural narratives are constructed through acts of viewing.
Technically, the works are characterised by a meticulous attention to light and detail. Using natural light and digital techniques to balance interior and exterior exposures, Bassiouni creates images in which both spaces remain visible with remarkable clarity. This approach allows the mosque and the landscape beyond to exist simultaneously within the frame, emphasising their interconnectedness rather than presenting them as separate worlds.
At a time when discussions surrounding migration, identity and integration remain highly politicised, New Western Views offers a nuanced and contemplative response. The series resists simplistic narratives, instead presenting mosques as integral parts of contemporary urban and rural environments. Through quiet observation, Bassiouni reveals the everyday realities of communities whose presence is often discussed but rarely represented from within.
Within the context of Backyard Biennial: East, Bassiouni’s work contributes to broader conversations about East London’s multicultural identity and its long history of migration, exchange and social transformation. His photographs encourage viewers to consider how places are shaped by the people who inhabit them and how acts of looking can challenge preconceived ideas about culture, belonging and national identity.
By positioning the viewer between interior and exterior worlds, New Western Views invites a reconsideration of what it means to belong. Through images that are both formally precise and politically resonant, Bassiouni offers a powerful reflection on visibility, coexistence and the complex realities of contemporary life.
June 22, 2026
