The art festival ‘Manifesta‘ is taking place in Kosovo’s capital Pristina, an event aimed at reclaiming public places.
Hundreds of artists and architects from 30 countries are expected to participate in the festival, where they use city landmarks as a canvas for their pieces, and engage in reshaping abandoned areas, such as Pristina’s old brick factory.
Dozens of architects are working at the old brick factory to turn the disused building into a public space available for the community with a water point.
Berlin-based architect Benjamin Foerster-Baldenius said the city lacks water and spaces “where you would like to hang out or spend your time.” He added that the city has unexploited potential.
Another installation built for the event is a house on top of a building in the city centre, an homage made to the uncontrolled surge of illegal constructions in Pristina by local artist, Alban Muja.
Muja said he didn’t want to glorify the phenomenon, but “open a debate about what will happen with these buildings.”
‘Manifesta’ festival was founded in the early 1990s and changes location every two years.
The event, which started on July 22 and will close on October 30, features artworks in 25 iconic venues across Pristina, such as the Ottoman Hammam.
The organizer of the European Nomadic Biennial ‘Manifesta’, said during the weekend when the event opened more than 6,000 people visited the Balkan country. © Reuters 27/07/2022
