Making his way to the roof of the 13-storey Grand Hotel Pristina, Petrit Halilaj points out abandoned bedrooms piled high with junk. The artist climbs a spindly metal ladder, then stands amid the signage of this once five-star establishment. Manifesta, Europe’s nomadic art biennial, opened in Pristina, Kosovo’s capital, on July 22nd. As its centrepiece, Mr Halilaj has rearranged and added to the Grand’s lettering to broadcast a message of optimism: “Kur dielli të ikë, do ta pikturojmë qiellin” (“When the sun goes away, we paint the sky”). He has positioned 27 illuminated stars in a cascade around its façade (pictured, below).

From here, you can see the whole of the city. Dilapidated structures from the Yugoslavian era dominate the view: the curious concrete angles of the Palace of Youth and Sports; the brutalist Rilindjanewspaper printworks; and the chimneys of a vast former brick factory. The outer slopes of the capital are filled with new towers erected during an ill-regulated construction boom. Scattered throughout are patches of wasteland strewn with weeds and litter. Finding new purpose for this unappealing terrain became the focus of an urban research project conducted under the auspices of Manifesta 14 Pristina.