At the conclusion of her two-month residency, Diana Malaj will present her reflections on the vibrant and multifaceted events within Graz’s cultural and artistic scene during the early autumn of this year. The presentation will be followed by a conversation with the Albanian poet and essayist Ervin Hatibi. Together, they will read excerpts from two texts dedicated to two Albanian cities: Tirana and Kamza, places that have profoundly shaped their perspectives and continue to resonate as subtle backdrops within their narratives, despite their differing styles and artistic experiences.

Diana Malaj is a cultural activist, writer, and researcher based in Albania. She is one of the founders of the collective ATA in the city of Kamza, where, together with other activists, she works across the fields of law, media, theatre, and urban anthropology. Since 2018, she has been the co-editor of the online platform Nyje.al. In 2024, she was awarded the “Seed Award” by the Prince Claus Fund.

Ervin Hatibi, celebrated as both poet and essayist, was born in Tirana, Albania, in 1974. Since the closing years of the last century, his work has appeared in numerous solo and collective exhibitions, many of which he has also curated himself. His latest collection of poems, is titled “Transkript nga krevati tjetër” (Tirana, 2020)