Contributions by Sezgin Boynik, Charles Esche, Alush Gashi, HAVEIT, Astrit Ismaili, Shkëlzen Maliqi, Cathrin Mayer, Miran Mohar, Edi Muka, Vanessa Joan Müller, Kathrin Rhomberg, Vesa Sahatçiu, Dardan Zhegrova
Edited by Katharina Schendl
Co-edited by Bardhi Haliti and Dren Maliqi
This publication collects writings on the art scene of Kosovo over the past twenty years. In the 1990s Kosovars felt—as many other countries in the Balkan region did—the urgency to shape their own scene: in a search for identity, for nation building, in continuing or ending political conflicts, by trying to find a language to grasp recent social and political developments, or simply by continuing their practice in new, unstable times. This collection of writings and interviews offers insight into these processes through various perspectives (from curators, artists, and philosophers) on the latest artistic developments, and fosters reflection on how a local, prospering scene continuously raises new questions and addresses undiscovered topics hand in hand with the region’s historical struggles and current challenges in being the youngest state in Europe.
Notes on Contemporary Art in Kosovo is published in the context of the tranzit.at Glossary Series, which aims to encourage reflection on new approaches to creating common knowledge that are more in sync with our time than the prevalent epistemological models. The series focuses on changing global conditions—and on the fact that we require more equality in creating knowledge under these conditions—and the need to redefine artistic geographies so that they can attune themselves to this new situation.