Si bishri I Arnautëve / Like the tail of Arnauts, 2026

Brass, hair extension, wood, glue; 332 × 305 × 76 cm

This sculptural series exaggerates animal tails, particularly those of horses, using brass and synthetic hair. Much like the artist’s series of brass bird legs crowned with distinct feathers, each sculpture features a uniquely styled tail, giving it an individual character.

Originally developed for his 2025 solo exhibition at ChertLüdde, the series draws on racist caricatures historically used to justify violence and discrimination against the Albanian-Kosovar population. In 1913, Serbian Prime Minister Vladan Đorđević published a text that dehumanized Albanians, claiming they retained animal-like traits, including tails, well into the 19th century. Such eugenic rhetoric formed part of a broader discourse that contributed to systemic violence, suppression, and the attempted erasure of Albanian identity. However, as a Kosovar himself, Halilaj ridicules such statements and exposes their absurdity through this series, refusing to let these dehumanizing claims go unaddressed.