Exhibition “Digital Art and Memory”

The exhibition "Youth, Art, and Memory: Digital Culture in Action" opened on October 6, 2025, at the "Zeta" Gallery, as a result of collaboration between the Institute for Democracy, Media, and Culture (IDMC) and Polis University, and with the support of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports (MTKS).

This exhibition is part of the "Youth, Art, and Memory: Digital Culture in Action" project, an initiative that blends art with historical memory and aims to bring forgotten stories back to life through contemporary visual expression.

The exhibition features 26 digital artworks created by students at Polis University. During the project's development, they participated in creative workshops, inspiring discussions, and field trips to institutions of memory, such as the "Shtëpia me Gjethe" ("House of Leaves") Museum.

The students had the opportunity to listen to and reflect on the personal stories of Lekë Tasi, Alma Liço, Gjetë Kadeli, and Vera Bekteshi – firsthand accounts of life and experience during difficult historical periods, which served as inspiration for their artistic creations.

Using various forms of digital art – video, animation, graphic design, and visual installations – the students offered fresh interpretations of the theme of memory, blending human sensitivity with modern technology. Each artwork is a dialogue between the past and the present, an attempt to preserve memory through the universal language of art.

The exhibition opening was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, including the Slovak Ambassador, Mr. Albin Otruba, and the Polish Ambassador, Mr. Wojciech Unolt, representatives of state institutions, artists, students, and a wide audience of local and international visitors.

This intergenerational conversation between diverse artistic mediums remains a testament to the power of creative expression. It actively preserves historical memory while forging a new dialogue between the younger generation and the past.

"Threshold" by Ohara Perolli

"Threshold" focuses on the dreams, desires, and hopes of people who experienced the era of dictatorship. The work requires interaction: to listen to the audio while searching for hidden symbols. Once found, the number you collect should be equal to the dreams and desires you have. After enduring the chilling voice of the dictator, "Threshold" presents you with several choices.

"The Weight of Memory" by Diontela Çangu

"The Weight of Memory" is a performance that puts the body in direct dialogue with the burden of the past. Holding a stone taken from Spaç Prison, the performer confronts a weight that is both physical and symbolic. This act becomes a ritual of remembrance. The stone remains as a silent witness, returning memory to the present moment.

"The Bedo Family" by Flavia Imeraj

A past act, made for freedom, has left a deep mark on those who remained—on the generations that came after. Photographs intertwine with the voice of Flavia Imeraj's grandmother, allowing the story to unfold through them. The work speaks of loss and strength, of resistance and love, and above all, of the family that finds its way through the shadows of history, preserving memories and spirits in the face of the past.

"Found Forgetfulness" by Sibora Hoxha

Memories may fade, but the impact remains. They vary from person to person, from generation to generation. They are the voice of the unvarnished truth, changing in content but under the same circumstances. The exploration of different generations' experiences is done through several questions: What was daily life like? What feelings accompanied it? How did the day start? How did it end? What were the hopes?

"Sounds of the Soul" by Lukrecia Duro

The voice emerges as a lament, carrying the wounds of the past. It intertwines with the echoes of communist songs, creating a heavy soundscape, where nostalgia and pain coexist. In this sung narrative, the past is not just a story, but a living emotion that calls you to stop, to feel, and to reflect on the shadows that still haunt us.

"The Network of Freedom" by Olivja Qafa

"The Network of Freedom" by Olivja Qafa is a cube of iron that contains photographs and the names of her imprisoned relatives during the communist era. The iron symbolizes the control of the state, isolation, and the forced silence, while the mirror on the surface invites the viewer to see themselves as part of this history, linking the past to the present.

"Memories of a Silent Teacher" by Rea Dani

Through this creation, Rea Dani aims to transform her grandfather's stories into a living testament, transcending personal boundaries, giving voice to an entire generation that experienced sacrifices, lack of expression, and unrealized dreams. The work symbolizes the bond between generations, the power of memory, and its role as a bridge connecting us to the past, teaching us to value freedom and understand our roots.

"Rationed Identity" by Ioana Merkaj

This work presents the ration card, created in the form of an identity card. The idea is to focus on the way bureaucratic documents, which once limited daily life through rationing, are now seen as a symbol of identification. Through this transformation, the card is no longer just a tool for sharing food, but a visual reminder of control and the collective experience.

"Voices that Survived to Remember" by Ajla Duli

This work brings to light the memories of victims of communism in Albania, intertwining testimonies, historical documents, and images from symbolic places in Shkodra. This work is not just a documentation of the past, but a call to never forget. Memory is the only way to give dignity to those who never found it in life. "Let us remember, so that we don't forget."

"Echoes Beyond the Sea: JON" by Janissa Rako

"Echoes Beyond the Sea" is a video montage created to remember one of the most devastating social events in Albania – the mass emigration, as well as moments from the 11th Song Festival, as a stark symbol of the communist system's ruthlessness. By intertwining real life events and clips from old Albanian films, adapted to the song "Jon" by Ardit Gjebrea, the video presents an abstract visual and auditory approach.

"Concrete Silence" by Kejsi Koburi

The video explores the architecture of communist Albania, bringing to attention not only the cold and uniform shapes of buildings, but also the difficult conditions they imposed on people's daily lives. The atmosphere is one of a rigid reality, where concrete and the lack of human space are accompanied by the silence of power over the problems of life.

"Imprisoned Fragments of Life" by Grejsi Kiço

During the communist regime in Albania, propaganda was one of the most powerful weapons of power. In every corner of the country, there were slogans, portraits of Enver Hoxha, and calls that glorified the Party and the system. Art, media, and even literature were under control. After 1990, people began to speak, to tell the real stories: about prisons, detention camps, about the lack of freedom and extreme poverty.

"Voices of Remembrance" by Amela Ceka

This work preserves a private conversation with my grandparents – a living memory that goes beyond writing. Through a QR code, the visitor has the opportunity to listen to their voices, entering a space where family intimacy becomes part of collective memory. It is a reflection on heritage, memories, and the way that loved voices remain always close to us.

"Through Pages" by Edra Danaj

This work is an artistic selection of Albanian newspapers from the period of the fall of communism and the rise of democracy, where under the headlines and news lies a gaze that looks through the pages. This gaze observes the truth hidden behind propaganda and suppressed news—where the media manipulates reality, even in today's time.

"The In-between" by Irisa Ibrahimi & Nadia Konomi

This visual project aims to represent the phenomenon of identity suppression and the ongoing struggle for free expression by artists during authoritarian regimes, with a particular focus on the figure of Ali Osek and artists from the time of communism in Albania. Through a series of photographs, an oval light reflects on a dark and shapeless background as a symbol of the creative spirit that refuses to be suppressed.

"Fanzine / Documentation" by Stela Shkëmbi

"Documentation" is a series of works on communism in Albania. The first work in a series, "Notes", functions as an agent of security and selects five intellectuals who opposed communism, with a personal file for each person. In the second work, "Reporting", the agent of security collects and compiles reports on various events, which flow in a chaotic manner.

"Awareness in Black Squares" by Heva Baruni

This installation is a homage to the interrupted verse of dissident poet Trifon Xhagjika about its absence and weight. It is a reminder that the imposed silence is not emptiness, but a space that weighs on collective consciousness. The purple squares, representing "open wounds," are a symbol of the words that were never spoken, but continue to echo in their absence.

"Beneath the Surface" by Sindi Kabili

This work focuses on collective memory and censorship. The box has two layers: an outer layer, which symbolizes hiding and silence, and an inner layer with a hidden text, which remembers the reality of suppression. The act of tearing is a liberating gesture and a return to a forgotten history.

"Forgotten Silence" by Emi Gjyshi

What are now just a few old, forgotten houses in the city streets used to be full of life. Their walls heard family conversations, the laughter of children, and the noise of a house full of people. They remind us that behind every closed window, there was once a life, and that every place, no matter how abandoned it may seem, holds a story within.

"Lives of the Living" by Alesia Musaku

To revive the past in this artistic project, Alesia Musaku decided to recreate an Albanian communist passport to reflect on the lives of privileged individuals who had the opportunity to leave the country and see beyond the borders, lies, and backwardness in their own land. 

"Hermetic Memory" by Anxhela Çela

"Hermetic Memory" gathers within jars, pieces of life that tried to be hidden or suppressed. Each jar is a small witness. Locked away, these memories seem impenetrable, but they hold the weight of a difficult time. The work invites the public to reflect on the past, on the imposed silence, and on the need to preserve collective memory.

"Shore of Memories" by Fjona Mehmeti

Fjona Mehmeti's grandfather was forced to leave in 1915 for economic reasons. After serving in the Turkish army, he returned to the homeland, but due to extreme economic hardship, he set sail for the United States and eventually settled in a family of Albanian emigrants. This journey marks a new chapter, full of challenges and sacrifices, but also hope for a better life.

"Enslaved in Gold" by Daniel Sadiku

This poster was created for a specific purpose: to clearly and openly show the damage that a regime inflicts on its people. A gentle hand, innocent, which although freed from the old chains (freedom of speech, etc.), is shackled with dried chains, deceptive ideals and lies for a "perfect" communist life. No matter how much time has passed, the grip of a chained hand cannot be forgotten.

"Under the Shadow of the Sleepless Eye" by Ina Dine

These works reimagine life in communist Albania, a period where isolation and fear shaped every moment. In their works, Ina Dine uses old photographs as a basis and intervenes on them with surreal elements, such as 3D eyes and red rays. The immobile eye appears on common spaces such as houses, classrooms, streets or beaches, symbolizing the constant surveillance of the state.

"Just a String" by Vivian Mehmedaj

An installation that depicts the fates and dreams of individuals, trapped in an isolated world. Confined within an illusion, within a transparent box, these "dreams" strive to break free, only to return back inside. This somewhat utopian environment represents the era of communism and the ease with which individuals' fates were controlled.