The National Gallery of Kosovo

The National Gallery of Kosovo was established in 1979, as a necessity after the establishment of the Academy of Arts in 1973. Since its establishment, numerous artists have emerged from the Faculty of Art in Prishtina University. They have graduated in various fields such as painting, sculpture, graphic design, graphics and applied arts.

From the founding of the National Gallery, then called The National Art Gallery, until 1990, Kosovan artists have promoted their artworks in numerous prestigious centers through various individual and collective exhibitions. They have received very positive reviews thanks to the unique approach to art and the unique circumstances in which their art was created, which has made it very distinct and original.

Kosovan art had been silent for the international public for a decade during the nineties of the last century. Unable to organize exhibitions at the Art Gallery, due to the infamous regime and difficult circumstances, Kosovar artists sought other alternatives to promote their art. For this purpose, they used restaurants, cafés and other alternative venues for individual and group exhibitions.

During the war in Kosovo, many ateliers were set on fire and many artworks were destroyed.

The National Gallery of Kosovo organized 297 collective and individual exhibitions from 1979 to 1998, and since 1999, when the National Gallery was reestablished and assigned location in the current building, 350 exhibitions have been organized both locally and internationally. Many internationally acclaimed artists have exhibited in NGK  such as Henry Moore, Victor Vasarely, Grayson Perry, Rosemarie Trockel, Thomas Hirschhorn, IRWIN, Kosovar artists with internationally successful careers such as Sislej Xhafa, Petrit Halilaj, Flaka Haliti, Leunora Salihu. We have had successful collaborations with Acclaimed curators as well, such as Dirk Snauwaert, Joao Ribas, Alfredo Cramerotti, Iara Boubnova, Jessica Castex, Odile Burluraux, Jerome Sans, Vincent Honore, etc.

The National Gallery of Kosovo has published many catalogs and brochures, including Monograph "Contemporary Art of Kosovo" (1988), Monograph "Contemporary Art of Kosovo" (2000), "Phoenix Kosovo" (2005) Monograph "Simon Shiroka" (2015), Interview book OHI ( 2019).