Nicolo Degiorgis: Hidden Islam

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In Italy the right to worship without discrimination is enshrined in the constitution. There are 1.35 million Muslims in Italy and yet, officially, only eight mosques in the whole country. Consequently, the Muslim population has been relegated to a huge number of makeshift places of worship; garages, shops, warehouses and old factories have become host to prayer. "Hidden Islam" offers a peek inside Italy's invisible Islam. Photographer Nicol? Degiorgis explores the various temporary mosques in Northeast Italy, where anti-Islamic campaigns and the shortage of worship spaces are particularly acute. Seemingly dull black-and-white images of the diverse building exteriors are printed on folded pages, but upon opening the gatefold, full-color scenes inside these mosques are revealed. The images are arranged by building type (shop, warehouse, apartment).