UNMIK on AIR

Friday 21^st 2003

Erzen Shkololli

(Andrea Saula)

Erzen Shkololli is a 27 year old Kosovan fine artist born in Pec/Peje. Today most of the prominent European art-curators would like to hang Erzens works in their exhibitions.

Erzens works have been selected by famous art curators in Europe among them Rene Blok and Harald Szeemann. His works have been exhibited at the reknown Kunsthalle Art gallery in Kassel or at the Manifesta, prestigious European Biennial.

Hello and welcome to UNMIK on Air.

“After the wall” was the name of a group exhibition held in Stockholm in 1999, which introduced eastern European artists to the European art scene. At the time Europe was eager to see how artists were reflecting in their art the transition processes their countries were going through and then came the Balkans.

Unfortunately the continues chain of wars that lasted for more then ten years put the Balkan in the center of attention in all the aspects of life, in the arts were there as well. Erzen Shkololli has been one of the most intriguing names in the art scene for the last couple of years. Erzen is a conceptual artist using different medias.

Breaking religious structures and cultural traditions as well as the presence of subversive issues are some of the elements that art historians and critics find in Erzens work. Some would like to say that post conflict environments create special conditions for an artist and its creation. Erzen sees it as a reaction to the constant problems everybody has to face in these kind of societies.

Erzen Shkololli: I would put it more like the reaction for all that surround us, like all the problems, like the economical, political and social problems with which we are dealing every day. It’s more like a reaction, I think. It’s reflecting more on the works of the artists.

“Blood and Honey - Future is the Balkans”, “In search of Balkania”, “Twice Upon A time... The Balkans video”, “The Balkans Trilogy” are some of the group exhibitions in which Erzen participated. The Balkans has become the key word for some of the most prestigious exhibitions and shows in Europe and curators all around Europe are talking about the Balkan art scene. Erzen says that he doesn’t perceive a common scene but he says that sharing the same problems is what’s bonding most Balkan artists.

Erzen Shkololli: We all are dealing in the Balkans somehow with the same problems and same situations. I would say that the only similarity is in this sense. It doesn’t matter if you want it or not to reflect on your works. Somehow you can compare and see some similarities but anyhow I think it’s an individual thing. You can usually see the same situation if you make comparisons between Bosnian artists and Kosovan artists or whatever. It’s really the post war situation and the problems of places in transition that are always the same.

Art, especially in the twentieth century, has become a commercial venue and today art is meant to be sold. Some see the term “Balkan artist” as a kind of brand that could be sold easier. Erzen finds some positive effects in that kind of packaging and he believes the integration of Balkan artists will eventually happen.

Erzen Shkololli: But anyhow I think that all these Balkan shows and all that was done is a really good sign. I think it’s good for the art scene of the Balkans, because the most prestigious curators represented it. It is good to be seen as a complete show (Balkan scene), a complete presentation, because I think it’s a good chance to be presented. But anyhow I think that who does continue to do a good work, they will not be only a Balkan, and they will be integrated. I believe in that. Like a witness of that, I say it’s going to be like that.

Living in Vienna for a couple of months has helped Erzen judge for himself how others artists lives and works differ from artists in the Balkans.

Erzen Shkololli: In Vienna I’m a resident for three months. When you meet people and when you meet artists it doesn’t change very much. Problems of the artists are very, very same, like conditions (under which they work), very same. Sometimes problems with the money are the same. It doesn’t make a big difference between being here, being in the Balkans, being in Kosovo or being in Europe.

Kosovo, by Erzen opinion, has a very good art scene. He agrees with the fact that they are more famous outside of Kosovo then inside but he believes that even that is going to be changed.

Erzen Shkololli: You have this generation like Sokol Beqiri, Sisley Xhafa who are really very well established in the international scene. You have also this younger generation that is becoming to be very good and becoming to be very wanted outside. It’s really nice. It’s new energy. You have young artists like Jakup Feri, Dren Maliqi, and Lulzim Zeqiraj. You have plenty of them. This is becoming to be a very good art scene, actually.

When it comes to the reception of Erzens works here in Kosovo, he explains that he sees no differences with other places. The same people attend the same events, everywhere, says Erzen

Erzen Shkololli: I think it should be worked on that. Actually like everywhere. It should be worked on how to attract the auditorium to bring different structure of the people. That is on our side, I think, to work on that, how to manage and to organize the events and the shows which will attract, debate or conferences that will attract different kind of structures. And the auditorium will be much bigger in that sense. But I think it’s OK. And outside on the openings it is always the same structure. The same people go and visit and see these art shows.

Back announce: Erzen Shkolollo is the evidence that there are more reasons to talk and think about Kosovo besides the daily politics and also the proof that Kosovo is indeed the part of Europe today.

And that’s all for this edition of UNMIK on Air, thanks for listening and stay tuned for more.