Grand Scheme of Things

Manifesta 14 Prishtina begins at the Grand Hotel. Still a grand place, it is dilapidated, largely unused and sagging under the weight of its symbolism: of the decline of the Yugoslavian dream of a worldly brand of socialism; of the practices of repression, exclusion and violence known to have been orchestrated from within its walls during the 1990s; of the privatisation of public property and its stagnation, the neglect of architectural infrastructure and the question of what might come next. 

Here, at this equally captivating and contested site, Manifesta 14 Prishtina is launching an associative enquiry into one of the key questions of the biennial: What role do the arts and art thinking play in telling stories otherwise, in bringing forth political imagination and engagement, in enacting healing, repair and transformation?  

The hotel is host to The Grand Scheme of Things, a thematic exhibition, and manifold artistic interventions. Visitors are invited to explore its hallways, rooms and its history while reflecting on stories of transition, migration, water and capital, love, ecology and speculation: the themes that link the concerns of people in Kosovo with those of people around the world – and indeed those of the planet at large.  

With a strong focus on works of visual arts, poetry, music and thought, the hotel also incorporates active spaces, such as open studios and workshops, as well as convivial places, such as cafés, lounges and terraces offering panoramic views of the city. Throughout the biennial, a portion of the hotel rooms are available for accommodation.