A five-week project in Tiranë, Albania, researching the Albanian society. Its main focus is the rise and fall of the two "major" systems of our modern age, being communism and capitalism. In what way is this to be seen in contemporary Albania?
My focus was on the tension between Albania's tribal law system and the current state laws. In several areas throughout the country, as well as its capital Tiranë, the tribal laws as written in the Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini are seen as more important than the current state laws. This is the case for a whole range of situations; marriage, making boundaries, theft, murder, et cetera.
During the communist period, Hoxha tried to eliminate the Kanun from the people's mind and introduce the communist system. But after Hoxha's death and fall of communism, a lot of people took on their old habits. Theft was again punished as written in the Kanun, and so were borders and food divided as in the Kanun.
The idea of this continuing conflict between the current system and the Kanun, lead me to making a public intervention at the place where the last house at the Lanë stood. This house functioned as a symbol of the Kanun being still present in the society nowadays. It was demolished a whole decade after the other houses had been destroyed. The reason for this was that a family that was a victim of the gjakmarrja (honor killimg) was residing there. This last house functioned as a safe place, and by destroying it, the streets lost a very present element of the Kanun.
Press-release in Albanian: "Kanuni është libri tradicional i ligjit në Shqipëri, besohet se vjen nga kohët më të hershme të ligjeve fisnore ilire të Epokës së Bronzit. Megjithatë, gjatë periudhës komuniste, ndikimi i Kanunit u ndrydh; po flinte, dhe urrejtja e vjetër mori hak pas rënies së komunizmit. Në Shqipërin ë bashkëkohore ekziston një konflikt i vazhdueshëm ndërmjet Kanunit tradicional dhe ligjeve aktuale të shtetit..."
Press-release in English: "The Kanun is the traditional law book of Albania, supposedly dating back to Illyrian tribal laws of the Bronze Age. However, during the communist period, the influence of the Kanun was suppressed; it slumbered, and old hatred was revenged after the fall of communism. In contemporary Albania there is a continuing conflict between the traditional Kanun and the current state laws..."
More information on the project being part of the exhibition 'Piramida' can be found at the blog or the website of Vizion Plus and Gazeta Mapo.
My focus was on the tension between Albania's tribal law system and the current state laws. In several areas throughout the country, as well as its capital Tiranë, the tribal laws as written in the Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini are seen as more important than the current state laws. This is the case for a whole range of situations; marriage, making boundaries, theft, murder, et cetera.
During the communist period, Hoxha tried to eliminate the Kanun from the people's mind and introduce the communist system. But after Hoxha's death and fall of communism, a lot of people took on their old habits. Theft was again punished as written in the Kanun, and so were borders and food divided as in the Kanun.
The idea of this continuing conflict between the current system and the Kanun, lead me to making a public intervention at the place where the last house at the Lanë stood. This house functioned as a symbol of the Kanun being still present in the society nowadays. It was demolished a whole decade after the other houses had been destroyed. The reason for this was that a family that was a victim of the gjakmarrja (honor killimg) was residing there. This last house functioned as a safe place, and by destroying it, the streets lost a very present element of the Kanun.
Press-release in Albanian: "Kanuni është libri tradicional i ligjit në Shqipëri, besohet se vjen nga kohët më të hershme të ligjeve fisnore ilire të Epokës së Bronzit. Megjithatë, gjatë periudhës komuniste, ndikimi i Kanunit u ndrydh; po flinte, dhe urrejtja e vjetër mori hak pas rënies së komunizmit. Në Shqipërin ë bashkëkohore ekziston një konflikt i vazhdueshëm ndërmjet Kanunit tradicional dhe ligjeve aktuale të shtetit..."
Press-release in English: "The Kanun is the traditional law book of Albania, supposedly dating back to Illyrian tribal laws of the Bronze Age. However, during the communist period, the influence of the Kanun was suppressed; it slumbered, and old hatred was revenged after the fall of communism. In contemporary Albania there is a continuing conflict between the traditional Kanun and the current state laws..."
More information on the project being part of the exhibition 'Piramida' can be found at the blog or the website of Vizion Plus and Gazeta Mapo.
«Me luejt kufinin âsht nji si me luejt me eshtent e të dekunve.» (v1 and v2)
performance and installation
