Celebrated Albanian artist Petrit Halilaj continues to break artistic boundaries with his latest exhibition Abetare (Noisy Classroom), which opened Thursday evening at New York’s prestigious Kurimanzutto gallery. Known for weaving Kosovo’s turbulent history into his art, Halilaj transforms ordinary school desks into striking sculptures and paintings, showcasing the dreams, hopes, and realities of Kosovar children through their doodles and sketches.

This exhibition follows his spring installation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he painted the sky with symbols from Kosovo’s iconic Abetare, the first-grade textbook used to teach Albanian letters. Now, Halilaj brings a classroom to life in the heart of New York. For the first time, desks from various schools are not arranged on the floor but instead hung on the walls, creating a unique, immersive environment.

Speaking with Koha before the opening, Halilaj explained: “For ‘Noisy Classroom,’ I’ve returned to my roots. These desks are like artifacts, holding the dreams and realities of children through their scribbles. I love them. They represent an unfiltered world.”

The gallery, founded in the 90s and now with centers in multiple cities, praised Halilaj’s work as a fresh articulation of his artistic evolution. The exhibition also features bronze sculptures from his renowned Abetare series, which reflect recurring motifs like hearts, stars, and houses—symbolic of Kosovo’s journey from war to freedom.

As part of the exhibition, Halilaj has collaborated with Albanian curator Eriola Pira to organize workshops celebrating the Albanian language, further enriching the cultural connection between Kosovo’s past and future. Through these sessions, participants are invited to experience the classroom as a space for imagination and memory, echoing Halilaj’s own childhood.