[spectre] Windows and Curtains at Lindart

[Nina Czegledy]

Hello,
I am reporting from Tirana from the

Windows and Curtains
digital story workshop
December 3-13
Cultural Center Lindart
Tirana, Albania
http://;www.lindart.org
(please wait a few days
- the website is being uploaded)

Since my last visit here, barely a year ago, there
have been many changes in this city such as
the disapperance of the makeshift shacks on
the riverside allowing a wide vista complimented
by green grass on the riverbanks, functioning
traffic lights reducing loss of life when crossing
the roads, newly planted trees, new shops, new cafes,
new sidewalks and so on. Of course some things remained
the same - the power failures, dark potholed alleys,
stray dogs and the innumerable ancient Mercedeses.

But this report is really a collective  letter about the
workshop with our women participants: Ada Simoni,
Eniela Vevecka, Irida Lame, Rudina Hoxhaj, Suela Qoshja,
Enkelejda Limani and contributions by Eleni Laperi and
Luljeta Danaj.

In the course of the workshop we heard local story
tellers and in a short few days developed our own project
which will be available on the Lindart website. As this
was the first collaborative web project by students in
Albania, we used basic tools including text and
still images. In the beginning the participants (all
art students) felt confused and asked "why do we have
to work with text as well as pictures?" But they caught on
quickly. It was also unusual for them to work against
a deadline. In the end as you will read from their own
positive comments - it all worked out and today
we are presenting the (as of yet) internal document
for the press and public.

Rudina: I learned in this workshop that I
can be just in one place but communicate with the
world - I find this a beatiful experience.

Eniela:  it was a little bit difficult because
this was the first time - but it was good.  I felt like in my
artwork that by painting with bright colors I can color this grey city.

Ada: this was a big and new expereince and my story
 (of Durres port) made me more connected with my city.

Suela:  I am Suela, I loved this week and I feel I travelled
in a different way with the Tirana buses.

Irida:  it was good to work in a warm, friendly
collective atmosphere - I have never done this before,
because we always work individually in our school.

Enkelejda: My ideas became clearer about what I
might be able to do by working with a computer.

Luljeta (poet, story teller)in my experience to interact
in a group creates strong works and is betterthan working alone.

Suela Muca (coordinator, Lindart) I feel this is a very new
way of working and we should continue. I think it is also
important that these young women had to express themselves
in an entirey different way than they do in their academy.

Eleni, the director of Lindart also contributed to our
collective work and said she feels this project
is an important first step in Albania.

next year we hope to continue.......


nina