December 27, 2024 | Friday
The doors of our Europe Houses in Pristina and Mitrovica North have always been open to artists, by showcasing their art and connecting with audiences . In 2024, we opened several exhibitions with works from talented artists about socially relevant topics.
The Bouquet of Hearts exhibition, which opened early in 2024, featured 30 ‘Ebru’ artworks, a traditional Turkish art form of painting in water and paper marbling. What made this exhibition more special was that the artworks were produced by 16 mothers of children with disabilities, “facing life-changing and hard challenges, heartache, an uphill struggle, yet finding the courage to express their feelings in painting,” as put by Mimoza Bytyqi Rrahmani in her opening remarks of the Bouquet of Hearts exhibition at the Europe House in Pristina.
Through the lens of Aleksandra Negojevic, we had a chance to experience European cities from our premises in Mitrovica North. Her exhibition Explore Europe with Aleksandra Negojevic is a collection of photographs she took on her trips across Europe. Besides showcasing her works for the audience, Aleksandra gave them travel tips in light of visa liberalisation for Kosovo. We also got a chance to speak to Aleksandra about her artistic practice and her travels. “Wherever I go, my camera will be by my side”, she told us in an interview we conducted earlier in 2024.
We took a water-coloured walk down memory lane with Aleksandra Zdravkovic’s Nostalgia exhibition, which we also opened at Europe House Mitrovica North. Her Nostalgia featured watercolour paintings of old buildings of Mitrovica North and Zvećan/Zveçan. The watercolour technique, in Zdravković’s opinion, is the only technique that allows this kind of gentle, yet difficult expression of the colourful landscapes of heavy walls that are featured in her works. To her, watercolour is the only one fitting for this expression of nostalgia.
Fitim Haziri’s Perfect Reaction, which we opened at Europe House Pristina, took us on an insightful journey, looking at how we internally process a thought and how we decide to materialise it with words and other expression mediums. We also spoke to him earlier this year in an inspiring conversation that helped us further deepen this exploration journey between the conscious and the unconscious.
Rinor Dauti, Rinea Mustafa, Elienta Culaj, Diellza Hyseni, Diona Ramadani, and Jeta Neziri are all unique artists; what brings them together is the Faculty of Arts at the University of Pristina. All six of them were gathered around the “A Fusion of Realities” exhibition that opened at Europe House Pristina in June. Selected with great care by their mentor – Professor Yll Xhaferi – these artworks of six young and emerging artists showcase diverse practices, each uniquely representing a different layer of reality.
Featuring paintings of Kosovo landscapes, Dejan Perić’s “The Splendor and Beauty” took us on a journey through the country, revealing its beauty, richness, and complexity in a completely new way. His paintings not only inspired us but also urged us to delve deeper and explore the soul of this unique region.
We reflected on complex and intimate emotions such as fear, sadness, anger and loneliness, all thanks to Stefan Boskocevic’s exhibition Struggling for Freedomat the Europe House Mitrovica North. His way of dealing with emotions is by transforming abstract forms into sculpture and drawing through the combination of different forms. In our conversation with him, he lets us sneak a peek into his unique artistic world.
The Infinite Paths, Infinite Spaces exhibition opened in Europe House Pristina brought together the works of seven emerging artists: Albina Fetahu, Gresa Gashi, Rigon Morina, Jetë Kadriu, Antika Veseli, Liza Paluca, and Emine Dajaku. Mentored by their teacher, Fjoruntina Sulejmani, their artworks showcased technical skills and conceptual depth, exploring themes of identity, routine, and transformation across various mediums. The exhibition delved into how the ordinary can be reimagined, the self can be transformed, and the invisible aspects of human experience can be visually articulated.
Ten acrylic paintings by Pavle Rapajic depicting various European citieswere showcased in the European Cities exhibition opened in Europe House Mitrovica North, curated by Bojana Rapajic. The exhibition aimed to promote local talent and foster cultural exchange between Kosovo and Europe. Showcasing significant European landmarks engaged the local community and instilled a sense of pride among Mitrovica residents. The event successfully contributed to the city’s cultural richness and strengthened its ties with the broader European community.
Opened at Europe House Mitrovica North as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Jelena Milicevic’s Reflections of Inequality featured ten oil-on-canvas addressing themes of inequality, discrimination, and violence against women and men. Through her powerful and emotive works, Jelena shed light on the psychological and physical impacts of violence, sparking meaningful discussions among attendees. The event highlighted the role of art in raising awareness and inspiring change.