After bringing an ancient Egyptian twist last season, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s beloved rooftop garden exhibit for 2024 is displaying work from Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj.
His art often “[expresses] a desire to alter the course of personal and collective histories, creating complex artistic worlds that claim space for freedom, intimacy, and identity.”
This commission for the Roof Garden was inspired by childhood doodles he found on the desks of his former school in Kosovo, in addition to other student’s desks in Albanian and Yugosloavian schools. All together, Arbetare symbolizes a generation of students who faced traumatic environmental conflicts in the 90s. Moreover, it pays homage to various pop culture references, sports, political ideologies, and art history.
The name of the exhibition, Arbetare, comes from a book title that once taught Halilaj the alphabet as a kid.
The installation debuted on April 30, 2024 and be on view through October 27, 2024.
Learn more about the rooftop installation here.
Where: 1000 5th Ave., New York