Kosovo Capital Hosts European Nomadic Biennale Manifesta

The phrase Pikturojme Qiellin (We paint the sky) over Grand Hotel in Pristina, installation by Kosovo artist Petrit Halilaj at Manifesta 14 Biennale. Photo: BIRN Kosovo Capital Hosts European Nomadic Biennale ManifestaXhorxhina BamiPristinaBIRNAugust 11, 202216:15 European art festival that centres on bringing public spaces to the people, and changes location every two years, is bringing its mix of art, events and workshops to Kosovo’s capital uintil the end of October.

Until the end of October 2022 Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, will host the 14th European Nomadic Biennial, Manifesta, which brings to the most isolated country in Europe “art, performances, events and workshops” from local and international artists.

The main venue of Manifesta is «The Grand Scheme of Things» at the 13-storey Grand Hotel, which was built in 1978 to host former Yugoslavia leader Josip Broz Tito’s cadres. Once considered one of the best hotels in the region, it ended up having a dark reputation because in its basement women were raped and ethnic Albanians were killed during the Kosovo war in 1999.

“Here, at this equally captivating and contested site, Manifesta 14 Prishtina is launching an associative inquiry into one of the key questions of the biennial: What role do the arts and art thinking to play in telling stories otherwise, in bringing forth political imagination and engagement, in enacting healing, repair and transformation?” the venue’s description reads. Multimedia exhibitions and art installations from local and international artists are held from the first up to the ninth floor.

Manifesta Biennial has a total of 25 venues all over Pristina aiming at bringing back public spaces to the people via a combination of art and architecture. It features 102 artists from 30 different countries.

Manifesta was created in the early 1990s and changes location every two years and adapts with the social circumstances of the city that hosts it by bringing contemporary culture and social dialogue.

All Manifesta’s venues are open to the public and free of charge. Mediated tours are also free of charge for groups from the Western Balkans and for 50 euros for internationals.