The Future Is Dark, 2025

Site-Specific Kinetic Installation

Drawing from the recent waves of popular mobilisation for a fairer world, Bilal Yılmaz wraps the façade of the Goethe-Institut’s main building with a message of hope in the midst of darkness. Referencing the work of artists like Christo & Jeanne-Claude, Jenny Holzer, and Ugo Rondinone, Yılmaz transforms the building into an unexpected image — one that reveals by concealing, and provokes reflection through surprise. As the future appears increasingly shaped by social, political, and environmental collapse, collective action emerges as a vital force for change. Art, in this context, becomes a powerful tool — one that can bring people together, foster dialogue, and help build common ground. 

As the artist states about the work:

“Sometimes art is more than an object to decorate our walls.

More than a question waiting to be answered.

More than a medium to entertain us.

While dark days are approaching, art can be a tool for showing the coming threat,

Uniting people to resist and bringing strength from past experiences to today's practices.

Even the façade of the most deep-rooted institutions can become the face of this call.

In dark times, art can bring light.”