In his commission for The Metropolitan Museum of New York’s Roof Garden, now on display through October 27th, the Kosovo Albanian artist explores the period of economic and political turmoil felt in the nations of former Yugoslavia through the lens of school children.
The commission features larger-than-life iron sculptures of doodles found inscribed on school desks. Halilaj was first inspired by desks found piled outside of the school he had attended growing up in Runik, Kosovo. In 2012, when Halilaj went to visit the building that had been the setting for so many of his childhood memories, the school building was in the process of being torn down. The desks had layers of inscriptions made by generations who had seen the time of Yugoslavia, the war, and post-war.
The discovery served as a catalyst for his search for desks across Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and North Macedonia. Halilaj was driven by a fascination for the answer to a simple question: “What are the things that differentiate us but also unite us?”
The war in Kosovo that began in 1997 loomed large in Halilaj’s upbringing, where drawing served as an outlet for the fear he felt and the trauma he endured. His time in a refugee camp in Albania is especially salient. While there, the camp psychologist, Giacomo Poli, “gifted [him] white papers, A4 and simple pens.”
Reflecting on his experience, Halilaj says the ability to express himself artistically saved his life. He described his experience of being homosexual within Kosovo-Albanian culture as closely aligned with the struggle of the Kosovan State to be recognized.
The installation features graffiti art, including birds atop ledges symbolizing freedom and dreams of a better future. The main attraction, however, is a massive spider wrapping its arms around the New York City skyline.
What I found to be most unique is the inclusion of sculptures representing global icons like Lionel Messi and their juxtaposition with the brutal realities of war exemplified through the NATO symbol seen in the second image. The veneer of naivete present within the sketches hides generational trauma.
The use of art to bring attention to historical and contemporary conflicts brings new understanding, especially when displayed at an institution like The Met. Abetare, named after the book Halilaj used to learn the alphabet, is certainly a must-see.
