This ashtray means a lot to me. It’s from my dad. It’s supposed to be his still, but unfortunately it isn’t. The day I came home from school I heard very bad news. I was just sixteen years old; I felt like sixteen centuries; I’m going to be without a father. BUT LIFE GOES ON. I was daddy’s little baby girl. So, when I heard the news I didn’t even cry. I became the strong one that my dad would be proud of. He smoked a lot. For sure I’m talking about cigarettes. My first cigarette I put on this ashtray. I started to smoke like my dad, one cigarette before lunch and a whole packet after lunch. DADDY’S GIRL. I smoked about three years. But one night I was so sick and tired and I felt like someone was going to show up and tell me something interesting. I was two minded: HEAVEN IS WAITING FOR ME or HELL IS SENDING HIS ‘ANGELS’. None of them. I saw a man with a black suite and whit hair but I couldn’t see his face! I was so damned scared and I turned to the other side of the bed and I started to pray to God. I my religion we believe you HAVE TO BE SCARED ONLY FROM GOD. The next morning I drank a cup of coffee and ate some biscuits and I held the cigarettes in my hand for hours and then threw them in the garbage. Now I’m twenty years old, it’s been a year and I’ve never bought a cigarette. It’s true, sometimes when I’m hearing bad news, whatever it is except political news, I smoke a cigarette and BELIEVE IT OR NOT just half of it. When guests come to my flat I never put this ashtray on the table. It reminds me of my father. PAST AND FUTURE DON’T exist. But he, and his ashtray, does.’

-Teuta Bajrami, Academy of Arts

Taking part in the workshops were: Fitore Klinaku, Fitore Hoxha, Vedat Musa, Virtyt Pula, Doarsa Kica, Taulant Hetemi, Ylberina Softolli, Trim Berisha, Furtuna Sheremeti, Arta Selimi, Arzana Alaj, Rita Saraci, Besartt Jashari, Andina Vllahiu, Agnesa Fejzullahu, Faton Maloru, Baton Bacaj, Armend Nushi, Melvlyd Osmani, Hateme Krasniqi, Valon Bujupi, Mehmet Godanci, Bekim Morani, Florim Zeqiri, Valona Sahiti, Muhamet Redenica, Luan Daci, Arif Velllliu, Valona Sahiti, Muhamed Gashi, Teuta Bajrami.