Halilaj: We cannot delay access
Curator Hana Halilaj discusses the renovation of the National Gallery of Kosovo, its new storage facility and inaugurating exhibition.
The National Gallery of Kosovo with expanded facilities. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
The National Gallery of Kosovo with expanded facilities. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
The National Gallery of Kosovo with expanded facilities. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
The National Gallery of Kosovo with expanded facilities. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
The National Gallery of Kosovo with expanded facilities. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
The National Gallery of Kosovo with expanded facilities. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
The National Gallery of Kosovo with expanded facilities. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“Deçan’s Pines” by Nimon Lokaj. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“Before the Storm” by Muslim Mulliqi. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
The show asks which art forms were institutionally legible, supported and possible in Kosovo under its constrained context.
Exhibition view. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
What becomes clear in the show is that contemporary artists rarely approach landscape as a bounded pictorial genre in the way earlier painters did.
“Why Kamza” by Alban Muja. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“Why Kamza” by Alban Muja. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“Facade XXIX” by Hamdi Bardhi. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“When it left, death didn’t even close our eyes” by Doruntina Kastrati. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“Shpresa” by Valbona Zherka. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“Rrugëtimi” by Valbona Zherka. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“Sin I” by Driton Hajredini. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“Do you realize there is a rainbow even if it’s night?” by Petrit Halilaj. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
"Diptych” by Feriha Rada. Photo: Ferdi Limani.
“Diptych” by Feriha Rada. Photo: Ferdi Limani.
I do not see institution building and institutional critique as opposites. A critical institution should create the conditions for disagreement, scrutiny and revision, rather than asking artists to legitimize it.
Exhibition view. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
“Blood Memory: Gjonaj, Has, 2 May 1990_no.2” by Lala Meredith Vula and “Albanian Clandestine Pavilion” by Sislej Xhafa. Photo: Majlinda Hoxha / Courtesy of NGK.
Being inside the institution has changed my understanding of what is possible.
Ardit Hoxha
Ardit Hoxha is the English editor at K2.0. He completed his master’s degree in sociology at the University of Auckland.
This story was originally written in English.