Lala Meredith-Vula Opens the “A Journey With My Father” Exhibition at Prishtina Hamam

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On the first day of October, Reporting House welcomed the British-Albanian artist, Lala Meredith Vula, as she opened her exhibit “A Journey with My Father”, featuring selected works from her “Bathers” series.

Photo: BIRN Kosovo

The opening event was held at the historic Hamam of Prishtina and included a discussion with the artists on her photography, which captures the social life from different regions of Kosovo during the 1980s and 1990s.

The artist explained to the audience that her series of photography “Bathers” is a very personal series, as it reflects her reconnection with her father from whom she was separated when she was 4 years old.

“This series of photographs is very poignant for me because it was a journey I undertook with my father and he was sharing his love of architecture with me in the 1980s and 90s. What I saw was his enthusiasm and joy in architecture. What I experienced are these photographs”, said Meredith Vula.

Her father worked in Kosovo’s Institution for Protection of Monuments, specializing in preserving old hammams. As he introduced her to this world, Vula began documenting the disuse of the Prishtina Hamam, later photographing bathers at a functioning Hamam near the Albanian-Macedonian border and photographed those bathers who are returned to a hamam today, as they experienced it then, four decades ago.

In “Bathers,” Vula challenges traditional artistic representations of women bathing, offering a modern, spontaneous perspective.

“In my research, I stumbled into a hidden dream world of calm and purity, a safe place of mysterious beauty. These photographs are dedicated to the hope and beauty which I found amongst these women” said Vula.

This event gathered artists, civil society representatives, architects, and media.

Lala Meredith Vula’s exhibition will be open at Prishtinas Hamma, during October, from Monday to Saturday.