Cihad Caner: (Re)membering the riots in Afrikaanderwijk in 1972 or guest, host, ghos-ti

Cihad Caner is an artist whose work explores the politics of image-making and how images influence and are influenced by socio-political realities. Originally from Turkey and based in Rotterdam for the past decade, Cihad works in video, photography, music, motion capture, and CGI. His art challenges the linear and often one-dimensional narratives that dominate popular media, focusing on issues of representation, language, marginalization, and the processes of image production and circulation. His works frequently feature fictional characters in nonlinear, multilingual narratives that use humor, absurdity, and poetry to offer alternative perspectives on how we understand the world around us.

In his solo exhibition, Cihad examines a largely forgotten event in Dutch history: the 1972 riots in Rotterdam’s Afrikaanderwijk neighborhood, where guest workers were targeted. With the riots as a focal point, Cihad expands his exploration to include how the neighborhood was named in commemoration of the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, as well as the particular challenges of gentrification it faces today. This project explores the nature of memory—how we remember, how subjective experiences shape collective memory, and the role of reenactment in bringing the past into the present. Featuring film, sculptural installations, a space for public activations and tours of Afrikaanderwijk conducted in languages widely spoken in the neighborhood, Cihad delves into the fluidity of memory, recognizing it as an ever-changing phenomenon. By revisiting the Afrikaanderwijk riots through individual recollections, the artist draws out varying perspectives within these memories. He uses reenactment not just to recreate events but to activate archives and recuperate forgotten narratives. Through this process, Cihad forms a multifaceted understanding of this pivotal event, addressing the complexities around how history is remembered and retold, and the implications this poses for the community.

First Double 1 & 2

Cihad’s exhibition is part of the series First Double 1 & 2, which takes its title from a collaborative album by South African musicians Madala Kunene, Baba Mokoena, and Sibusiso Mndaweni. The album’s lyrics connect seemingly unrelated activities—such as a mother going to the marketplace, a father attending a racecourse, and anti-colonial resistance chants—to reflect deeper connections between everyday life and broader socio-political themes. Similarly, the five solo exhibitions in First Double 1 & 2 explore diverse yet interconnected topics, including spiritual technologies, mineral extraction, land-related issues, queer cosmologies, and the recollection of historical events. Also included within the series are solo exhibitions by Jabu Arnell, Luana Vitra, Nolan Oswald Dennis, and Sara Sejin Chang (Sara van der Heide).