Venue: Garibaldi Theatre, Palermo, Italy

Date: 07.10.2018

Time: 19:30h

Autostrada Biennale, after its first successful 2017 edition, is publishing its first book named “Autostrada Biennale: The Common Book” which aims to promote Autostrada Biennale to the worldwide by organizing talks and events.

Talks and promotional events of the book,  beside Prizren and Prishtina (capital city of Kosovo), will be organized in three continents, starting with European countries such as Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland and France, continue to the Far East as Taiwan and ending with activities in New York, United States of America.

The book of Autostrada Biennale contains most of the activities that were done since its establishment. Beside publishing the first edition catalogue, the team and curator of biennale have  decided to make a book with more content and activities. Since Autostrada Biennale is not simply a road, It is a journey that unites people.

Autostrada Biennale established the city and its citizens as a very important part of its organized events, by including them regardless of their nationality, religion or cultural backgrounds. This was the very purpose of the Biennial, namely breaking up and wiping out borders and taboos of our society.

Together with citizens and strategic partners, Autostrada Biennale has created new spaces for art exhibitions, informal education, as well as discussions and reflections. We facilitated this platform in the name of freedom of expression, cultural exchange and critical thinking, with the purpose of maintaining inter-cultural and inter-ethnic tolerance, promoting democratic thought, preserving the environment, and appreciating cultural heritage.

As you will find in the book, Autostrada Biennale consists of three main programs: the International Contemporary Art Exhibition, the Informal Education Program and the Collaborative Projects.

The role of art has always been to investigate and shed light on historical, political and cultural issues, through a provocative lense that is especially found in contemporary art. Since biennials are known to take a broader perspective, we strived to create new spaces where various artists, curators, art theorists, and other important cultural figures could foster long-term cooperation. Undoubtedly, the biennale has managed to attract art enthusiasts, and consequently generate revenue for the city through sustainable cultural tourism. Throughout our work we promote also Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030 for our country.

In the past year, contemporary art managed to become one of the best forms of communicating messages of peace from Kosovo, and proved to be a factual implementation of cultural diplomacy for the state of Kosovo.

Partners and supporters of the book and the agenda of promotion are: UNKT – United Nations Kosovo Team – more specifically Development Coordinator’s Office, Swiss Development and Cooperation Office in Prishtina, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in Kosovo, Ministry of Diaspora and Strategic Investments in Kosovo, Municipality of Prizren and Municipality of Prishtina.

It is our great pleasure to invite you to participate in the three-day conference “The future of borders” that is going to be held from 20 – 22 August 2017, in Prizren, Kosovo. You are invited to follow us closely in panels organized during the conference, while at the same time your presence will provide a valuable opportunity to expand network of contacts, meet with other invited artists and curators, to share your experiences and knowledge.

Autostrada Biennale aims to consolidate partnerships between public and private art institutions, artists and informal groups, through networking and non-formal education – with common targets, to stimulate the creation of new opportunities for expansion and revival of the artistic community in region and beyond.

Registration starts at 13:30 in the Gazi Mehmet Pasha Hamam, in the city center, on Sunday, 20 August.

The conference will take place, a day after the ceremonial opening of the first edition of Autostrada biennale, curated by Manray Hsu.

Autostrada Biennale, it’s an international biennale of contemporary art in Kosovo, that has been established with the mission to enhance culture and revitalize community. The opening of the first edition of Autostrada Biennale will be on August 19, 2017, and will last till September 22, 2017.

Autostrada Biennale – International contemporary art biennale

19 August – 22 September 2017

Opening Ceremony of Autostrada Biennale – 1^st edition

Saturday 19 August at 8pm

At Bus Station, Prizren

Autostrada biennale is delighted to invite you in the opening of Autostrada Biennale – International Contemporary Art biennale – 1^st edition, curated by Manray Hsu. After words of welcome by Autostrada biennale team and curator Manray Hsu, we welcome you to join us in the welcoming coctail, starting from 9pm.

The opening ceremony takes place at Bus Station, on Saturday 19 August, from 8pm to 9pm. The ceremony is followed by a Cocktail party.

The two-day International Conference “Contemporary Past. Historical future.” is the first step toward the Contemporary art biennale, that is going to be held on September 2017, in Prizren, Kosova. “Contemporary past. Historical future”, gathers selected artists, curators, gallerists, collectors, lecturer, and heads of cultural institutions, in a panel that aims to address cultural issues through art, political and economic perspectives. Inspired by today’s changing world and it is initiated in order to take advantage and expand upon the increased artistic exchange and practice. Through a spirit of cooperation Autostrada Biennale seeks to awaken Kosova’s, region, creative energy and beyond. Collaboration between different experiences, questioning the problems and difficulties of the contemporary world is a groundbreaking of aspect of art today. It challenges and exchanges collaboration.

Session series organized under the “Contemporary past. Historical future” International Conference carries an effort to understand the role of art in ongoing social, political and economical activities in the contemporary world.

SESSION I / Art & undefined creative territories

Speakers: Iara Boubnova (ICA / Sofia, Bulgaria); Sezgin Boynik (Theorist / Helsinki, Finland); Sislej Xhafa (Artist / New York, USA); Yehuda Safran (Columbia University / New York, USA); Miran Mohar (Artist, IRWIN / Ljubljana Slovenia).

Moderator: Stefano Romano

SESSION II / A city that has no gallery, but has an art biennale

Speakers: Anna Smolak (Curator, Poland); Gëzim Paqarizi (Architect / Geneva, Swiss); Klod Dedja (M.A.M. Foundation / Tirana, Albania); Nikolett Erőss (OFF Biennale / Budapest, Hungary); Petrit Halilaj (Artist, Founder of Hajde Foundation / Berlin, Germany).

Moderator: Eliza Hoxha

SESSION III / The common points / Art, Investors and Public

Speakers: Edmond Hajrizi (UBT / Prishtina, Kosovo); Gregor Podnar (Galerija Gregor Podnar / Berlin, Germany); Osman Arayici (Architect, Akademia Evolucion / Istanbul, Turkey)

Moderator: Hajrulla Ceku

SESSION IV / Biennale of contemporary art / Its impact on the country and region

Speakers: Ali Akay (Curator / Istanbul, Turkey); Ana Frangovska (Curator / Skopje, Macedonia); Olson Lamaj (Miza Gallery / Tirana, Albania); Shkelzen Maliqi (Art Critic / Prishtina, Kosovo); Zdenka Badovinac (Moderna Galerija / Ljubljana, Slovenia).

Moderator: Rubin Beqo