Petrit Halilaj
Solo exhibition
Chert, Berlin
19 September – 17 October 2009

Chert is proud to present the first solo exhibition in Germany of Petrit Halilaj (Kosovo, 1986 – lives and works in Berlin).

For this occasion, the artist developed a project split into two separate parts: an installation realized in Berlin, parallel to the construction of a new chicken shack realized in Runik, Kosovo.
The Berlin installation “26 Objekte n’ Kumpir” 2009, is constituted by four big vitrines, arranged as a table or the shape of an open book, the contents of which display a reproduction of various objects belonging to the artist’s family.
Splitting as well this sculpture in two parts – its inside and outside – the artist traces a precise connection between the content, the container and the construction in Kosovo.
“26 Objekte n’ Kumpir” is the display for the story told by the objects inside. At the same time it is a launch pad for the space shift and, on another level, a comfortable nest. Its content is a collection of various objects, all of them reproduced by the artist following the original ones realized by his granfather during the last years.
The chicken shack realized in Kosovo follows the shape of a space shuttle. This form is the result of a conversation the artist recently had with his sister Blerina – to be published in Gagarin (Gagarin n. 19 – September 2009). Both the Berlin and the Kosovo constructions present themselves as raw, soiled, home-made containers on the outside, while the insides are precious, accurate and well-refined.

The connection between one installation and the other is strong and complementary. The shapes and ideas have deep utopian, fictional and fantastic connotations, but also carry very intimate sensations of protection, coziness, home and family.

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Installation view.
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‘They are Lucky to be Bourgeois Hens II’, 2009. Video documentation from “They are Lucky to be Bourgeois Hens II”, Kosovo, 2009. 3 minutes circa.
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’26 Objekte n’ Kumpir’, 2009. Vetrines, wood, copper, neons, various objects, soil. Video documentation from “They are Lucky to be Bourgeois Hens II”, Kosovo, 2009. Pencil on paper, tape.
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’26 Objekte n’ Kumpir’, 2009. Vetrines, wood, copper, neons, various objects, soil. Video documentation from “They are Lucky to be Bourgeois Hens II”, Kosovo, 2009. Pencil on paper, tape.
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’26 Objekte n’ Kumpir’, 2009. Vetrines, wood, copper, neons, various objects, soil. Video documentation from “They are Lucky to be Bourgeois Hens II”, Kosovo, 2009. Pencil on paper, tape.
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’26 Objekte n’ Kumpir’, 2009. Vetrines, wood, copper, neons, various objects, soil. Video documentation from “They are Lucky to be Bourgeois Hens II”, Kosovo, 2009. Pencil on paper, tape.
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‘Untitled (Objects)’, 2009. Pipes, wood, neon light, various objects, video documentation from “They are Lucky to be Bourgeois Hens II”, Kosovo, 2009. 210 x 270 cm.
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‘It seems like something’s burning inside, feels like not to sleep cold outside, inside warm very volcano, above that green pen. It turns into grey ground. Black mountains. An e-mail is delivered and my Mac is black, satellites fall down like rain and my tom tom can’t tell me where I am. I’m scared. Look into my eyes my love, oh darling without my chip I can’t no longer see. Let me turn it on. No, don’t you feel something great, from the pierced cloud it’s coming towards our Finimo.’, 2009-2012. Wood, electricity, motor, neon light, hand written text (Italian translation of work’s title, pen on paper). 90 x 120 x 113 cm .
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Installation view.

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