Mirror Of Self

The National Art Gallery

The visit in the art exhibition held at the National Art Gallery in Prishtina was insightful and encouraging. The exhibition building had an artistic installation of stairs, however, this blog shall only include the exhibition of "a place without walls," featuring Djellza Azemi, Anjesa Dellova, Anita Macolli, Kelly Tissot, and jpp. This exhibition contains the concept of space and time, language and relationships, and home concerning rituals and memory.

(Photo by Kaltrina Mustafa); 

Strangely enough, the melancholic sound of the raindrops the mood of the exhibition too well. The following parts of the blog contain first impressions without relying on the brochure we were provided before entering the exhibition hall.

Artist: Anita Mucolli

The first piece I laid eyes on was a strange installation, something out of horror movies where psychopaths tear the body up, however at second glance one could notice a table with pieces you would expect to see in some sort of hospital. The laboratory stand to the right of the table, the transparent shelf behind the first installation...they could only heighten that sense of orderliness and precision. The regularity and calm aura of it almost made me feel confined or choked in a whirlpool of transparent pressure.

(Photo by Kaltrina Mustafa)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Artist: Anjesa Dellova

  (Photo by Kaltrina Mustafa)       

 Moving on, the colorful art pieces shown, contrasted with the formality of the first installation. They depicted disfigured men painted in warm orange colors. These caricature-like paintings of formal and mighty-looking men, making jokes with faces and actions, made me think it might have a metaphorical meaning to it; Men high in power who take their own selves as a joke. 

Artist: Kelly Tissot

Another part of the room contained a wooden staircase at my left, but what caught my eye were the black and white charcoal pictures across from me. They had become a part of that eerie ambient, expressing feelings of longing for what has been lost; a confused state of mind. The unclear figures in the pictures awoke feelings of melancholy and rebellion toward an unknown receiver of it.

(Photo by Kaltrina Mustafa) 

          

 Artist: Djellza Azemi 

To my left, again, I saw a memorable piece. Wood held on each side by hands of clay. What was special about it is that the board was filled with bullet-like holes. It took me back to unhealed wounds in me that remain open. 

Opposite this wall, a video from Kelly Tissot was projected. Unfortunately, I could not stay for long to watch it all but it depicted a narration of daily life the valueless normality of which we often disregard
 

                                                                                                                                                          (Photo by Kaltrina Mustafa)

The unaddressed elephant in this room was the low iron bars. I honestly thought that I was supposed to sit on them (and I did...I pray that the cameras weren't working that day), then I realized I might have misunderstood it all, therefore, tried to view them in depth. To me, it symbolized confinement, limits, a secret in open space.

In fact, this whole exhibition gave me impressions of life's prisoner. The exhibition rooms felt like closed spaces where one felt like running away, however, no matter how far you run, it's like you are on a treadmill. It had reflected my soul's face better than any mirror could. 

Reading the pamphlet and what the artists expressed, made puzzles fall in place, though. The interconnection I felt after viewing the art pieces altogether, felt like a revelation, something that indirectly reflected my inner self, what I fear and not. That day, I confirmed art means whatever the viewer sees and feels. When viewing art, there is no right or wrong way, you just accept it for what it appears to you.

 Kaltrina Mustafa