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Press release
Petrit Halilaj (b. 1986) presents his first major institutional solo exhibition in Berlin at Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart. In addition to drawings, sculptures, and installations, new site-specific works will be on display. At the center of the exhibition is an expansive participatory installation that explores the potential of collective dreaming to produce open, emancipatory worlds. The exhibition is the second solo show in the Rieckhallen and opens during Berlin Art Week.
Petrit Halilaj’s poetic, post-anthropocentric exploration of the vulnerable human subject reveals a unique and personal sensibility. Halilaj’s narrative strategies create nuanced spaces for reflection, awakening memory and longing, and examining the political power of care and love in confronting individual and collective traumas. His artistic journey began during his childhood in the refugee camp of Kukës (Albania) during the Kosovo War (1998-1999), where he depicted birds navigating the turmoil of war, symbolizing a quest for alternative realities. Against the backdrop of Kosovo’s ongoing struggle for international recognition, this exhibition brings together his enchanting creations – birds, butterflies, and moths – crafted over fifteen years of work. Through drawings, sculptures, costumes, and installations, Halilaj’s fluttering creatures serve as vessels for his memories of belonging and dreams of migration and freedom. The exhibition demonstrates how art can explore and articulate complex emotions and identity while engaging in vital political and social discourse.
The exhibition is curated by Catherine Nichols, curator at Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart. Assistant curator: Emily Finkelstein, Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart.
