What After We Leave

This project is carried out in collaboration with “In Our Hands”, a community-based initiative that is part of the Prishtina Biennale. Based on anecdotes from people who once lived in the village of Sredska, some of whom still reside there: the school, located in the heart of the Sharr Mountains—a place unknown to most—is now deserted and abandoned, “lost” to the sounds of children running and playing, as it once was when the school was functional.

From the 16th to the 20th century, seven vilayets (provinces) had only one school to which they sent their children to acquire knowledge: the school in the village of Sredska, now nameless and forgotten. During the Yugoslav period, from 1918 to 1992, the school in Sredska served seven Serbian settlements. Since the number of children in those seven families was very small while the school had the capacity for hundreds, children from the village of Planja were required to attend the school in Sredska. They had to walk long distances, both in summer and in winter, from one village to another. During this time, the school bells were replaced with the bell of the Orthodox church located in the same yard.

“Art is truth, and this affirmation has been a great encouragement for me as a young activist and artist, who advocates for places such as the village of Sredska, in order to unfold untold stories from an early age. Video is the most powerful medium for me. It suits me because it allows me to visualize my thoughts and positions, while also inviting others to take part in such events.”