“An abundant potential lies behind the fascination with the sensations, imagery and allegories unfolded in dreams; as knots of time, occurring in its absence but representing the totality of the past, present and future. Dreams hold hints and warnings, inspiration and discovery, answers as well as questions for the self and the world.”
The title of the exhibition Knots of Time derives from a quote in the “Dream Catalogue”, a book about dream interpretation in Kosovo, written by Bjeshkë Guri and Lira Blakaj. They highlight how communities use cultural frameworks to create connections across generations.
The exhibition presents artists who explore the cultural influences that have shaped them – such as the belief systems they were born into or the cities where they grew up. They weave moments from the past into new, imaginative narratives that revolve around topics such as queer identity or family relationships. Neither romanticising nor rejecting the inherited, they articulate a subjective perspective. The exhibition proposes that identity is neither singular nor static. Within the “knots of time”, layered and sometimes tense new forms of belonging emerge.
The exhibition is curated by Simon Kurti. He is a curatorial fellow of the GfZK and the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony. The exhibition is being organized as part of the Dr. Klaus Schaffner Prize.
