Lola Sylaj and Dardan Zhegrova participate in the second edition of  the Autorstrada Biennale Kosovo with the work Memories old thorns of mine, scratching into the sky, the winning entry for the 2016 Artist of Tomorrow award, established by the Prishtina Center for Contemporary Art. A football goal is presented with locks of hair hanging down from the crossbar to form a conceptually and formally strong sculpture. The work gives expression to the theme of identity, and reflects on the constant social need to distinguish between males and females, asking why it should necessarily be so. This work reflects Sylaj’s tenacity, who, along with the HAVEIT collective, have created “active” art directed against power, nationalism, LGBT discrimination and the oppression of women. 

At the same time you can feel Zhegrova’s immense sensitivity, who in his practice considers emotion to be the fundamental force in the artistic Medium.

Martina Iannello