An artist has called for the removal of an installation from the latest edition of Manifesta 16, accusing Turkish sculptor Nasan Tur of plagiarising her earlier work.

The piece, titled Elevation, features reclaimed church pews installed on their side inside St. Gertud Church in Essen, with anonymous musings engraved by the public. Bochum-based artist Dorothee Bielfeld believes it closely mirrors her 2010 work Aufrichten (Raising Up). Both installations invite visitors to contribute personal messages, but the curatorial assessment stands firm against plagiarism.

Bielfield's earlier piece, installed in Hamburg’s Christ-König-Kirche, also featured upright pews and was described by her as a forest of lost souls. She claims she was devastated upon seeing Tur’s work, stating that her expertise lies in repurposing churches and the evolving nature of worship.

Manifesta 16 opened in Germany's Ruhr region on June 21, running until October 4. The biennial, which this year spans four cities—Duisburg, Essen, Gelsenkirchen, and Bochum—aims to reactivate historic churches for civic encounters.