Arbnor Karaliti (Kosovo)
Arbnor Karaliti (XK, 1996) works with painting and experiments with various mediums in a continuous process of learning about himself through art. His work is influenced by personal experiences as well as existential issues, including isolation, and various social taboos. Process- oriented, he works in consecutive stages; when painting, he first sketches a red line on the canvas, which he refers to when placing his subjects – often his friends, flat mates and fellow artists – and composing their surrounds. Seeking to prompt discussion, he also works with new media, creating research-based installations tailored to specific institutional contexts, frequently produced in close cooperation with generational peers. Throughout his interdisciplinary
practice, he reckons with various poses and postures – the familiarity, or foreignness, they signal – and their metaphysical implications.
Ermir Zhinipotoku (Kosovo)
Ermir Zhinipotoku (XK, 1997) is a visual artist primarily focused on the medium of painting. His artistic work is a profound reflection on existentialism and psychology, analyzing the absurd. The use of utilitarian silence through satire and tragedy is an essential element of his artistic expression. In his creative endeavors, Zhinipotoku expresses a sense of detachment from the modern world and a desire for a simple and authentic life, seeking a deep connection with the roots and essence of human existence. Throughout his paintings of various formats, both monumental and intimate, he draws inspiration from internal biological forms as well as the epic natural formations we live amidst. He aims to challenge our subject-centric attitudes and our methods of earthly existence.
