ARKIV Institute Opens in Kosovo School with Artan Hajrullahu Show

On July 23, 2022, the artist Sislej Xhafa inaugurated ARKIV The Institute of Contemporary Art Pejë in the first public elementary school of Peja, Kosovo. The opening exhibition, 'Silence Took a Hold of the Rooms,' features works by Kosovar artist Artan Hajrullahu (born 1979 in Gjilan). The school building, 'Vaso Pash Shkodrani,' opened in 1946 and will now host artistic projects while educational activities move to renovated spaces. ARKIV was founded as an NGO in 2018 with the mission to collect and systematize visual documents about Kosovo's complex history. The exhibition includes small-format paintings displayed in classrooms and corridors, harmonizing with children's objects. Guided tours will be introduced soon. The initiative aims to advance contemporary art in Kosovo through direct engagement with artists and the public, functioning as a catalyst for collective tools shared with local and international communities. The mayor of Peja and Kosovo's ambassador to Italy, Lendita Haxhitasim, attended the opening. The project follows the context of Manifesta 14, where the Hertica School House in Pristina was a significant venue.