In 2007, the MFA students from the Basel School of Design were invited to the Campus to document the multifaceted changes taking place in the creation of the Novartis Campus in Basel, Switzerland. Gökhan Numanoğlu created portraits of hands that demonstrate a sort of sign language articulating what’s being “handled”, or managed, on Campus.
The series is limited to portraits of hands (those of the staff who work in various departments of the Novartis Campus) and their immediate surroundings. By doing so, he intended to communicate with the viewer through pictures that contain metaphorical significance. Additionally, it aimed to stimulate thought and incorporate further information layers beyond the visible ones, emphasizing a space-human-occupation relationship rather than single-layered photographs that convey literal and direct messages.
© Gökhan Numanoğlu, Basel, 2007 - 2008
