opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday
10:00 - 20:00
Grand Hotel Prishtina
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.
Grand Hotel History
Located in the heart of the city, the Grand Hotel Prishtina stands out in the Prishtina skyline. The iconic marbled building was built between 1974-1978 by architects Bashkim Fehmiu, Dragan Kovačević and Miša Jevremović. A large building (around 32.000m2), the hotel has 350+ rooms of different sizes spread out over 13 floors.
Figuring prominently in the public consciousness, the hotel has hosted many famous figures from international politics and the entertainment sector over the years. Embodying the recent history of Kosovo, the Grand Hotel Prishtina has witnessed political, social and cultural changes, the memory of which has woven into its hallowed halls.
In its glory days, ‘Hotel Grand’ was considered one of the best hotels in the region, and proudly displayed five stars next to its name. Now, the story of Grand Hotel Prishtina remains difficult to summarise in a sentence. It was privatised after the war, and is now the home of numerous businesses, from a gym to a travel agency to a nightclub. There are still many visitors at Grand Hotel Prishtina, and rooms to let, even though only 1% of the rooms are occupied with hotel guests.
Permanent
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – Majlinda Hoxha
22.07
→
30.10.2022 10.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – Genti Korini
22.07
→
30.10.2022 10.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – Petrit Halilaj
22.07
→
30.10.2022 10.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – Lawrence Abu Hamdan
22.07
→
30.10.2022 10.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – Off Season Collective
22.07
→
30.10.2022 10.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – Ilir Dalipi
22.07
→
30.10.2022 10.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – New Grand
22.07
→
30.10.2022 10.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – Driant Zeneli
22.07
→
30.10.2022 10.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – Driton Hajredini
22.07
→
30.10.2022 10.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Artistic Intervention
Artistic Intervention – Majlinda Hoxha
22.07
→
30.10.2022 12.00-00.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Past
Event
When the Sun Goes Away we Paint the Sky, a conversation with Petrit Halilaj and Catherine Nichols
27.10.2022 17.00-18.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Exhibition
Abi Shehu & Gerta Xhaferaj “Nekrografi / Necrography”
13.09.2022 10.00-20.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Event
HUNITI GOLDOX – Screening and conversation on landscapes in transition, at Abi Shehu Open Studio
04.09.2022 18.00-20.00
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Workshop
Robotics workshop for children at the Alternative Atelier / Driant Zeneli in collaboration with Bonevet.
11.08.2022 10.00-12.30
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Performance
Seapussy Power Galore – Abcession – Mette Sterre
29.07.2022 19.00-19.30
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
Performance
Performance by Mette Sterre – ‘Seapussy Power Galore – Abcession’
21.10.2022 17.00-17.30
● Grand Hotel Prishtina
