Petrit Halilaj's 'Shkrepëtima' Installation at Fondazione Merz Reconstructs Ruins from Kosovo

Petrit Halilaj's exhibition 'Shkrepëtima' at Fondazione Merz in Turin, running from 29 October to 3 February, presents an installation derived from a dilapidated cultural center in Runik, Kosovo, where the artist grew up. The show concludes a trilogy that began with a performance in Runik and continued at Zentrum Paul Klee. Suspended debris—timber, masonry, and bricks—hangs from the ceiling above a bed holding wood and clay replicas of Neolithic artifacts found near Runik, evoking a tornado's aftermath. Wooden platforms resembling guard towers display toy rifles and blackboards on red curtains, symbolizing lost education and tradition. Winged creatures suggest potential rebirth, yet the installation feels like stage props rather than finished artworks. A film in the basement documents the original performance, while drawings in an adjoining room appear secondary. Halilaj aims to reconstruct identity from cultural ruins, drawing attention to his hometown's neglected heritage through this arte povera-inspired work.