Istanbul (Sisters)

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Istanbul (Sisters), shows Serrano’s longstanding interest in religious symbolism and his investigations of the politicization of the human body. The photograph depicts two women veiled in the Islamic tradition of hijab. Rather than expressing an explicit political position, the photograph quietly challenges viewers to ponder religious values and cultural assumptions. The title, Istanbul (Sisters), transforms the implications of the sisters' concealing attire by indicating that the portrait's context is Türkiye 's capital. Officially a secular state, Türkiye has prohibited women to wear headscarves in public buildings and universities since 1980. Thus, their attire may be a deliberate choice or defiant expression of faith rather than an imposed social or religious obligation.