“Powerful Voices”: photography exhibition on Balkan women opens in Tirana

The exhibition brings intimate portraits of nine women from different Balkan countries, documenting their everyday lives, work, passions and experiences in cities such as Tirana, Belgrade, Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

Through photographs and personal stories, the project aims to go beyond simplified images and stereotypes about Balkan women, focusing on their stories of strength, pride, everyday challenges and joys.

In Tirana, the exhibition presents the photographs of AFP photojournalist Adnan Beci, who created the portraits of Blerina Vrenozi, Elida Zhulati and Luna Causholli.

At the exhibition’s opening ceremony, attended by the French ambassador to Albania, Catheriné Suard, as well as guests from the arts, culture and media, photojournalist Beci thanked those present and the young women who became part of the project, stressing that putting together the exhibition was a major undertaking and an important process.

Blerina Vrenozi, a spider specialist, researcher and lecturer at the University of Tirana, shared her experience as a woman in science and the challenges she faced along her professional journey.

She stressed that the challenges were many, not only in advancing in science but also due to gender prejudice in society.

“My message today is that with tireless work, strong will and the courage to never give up, everything is possible,” Vrenozi said.

She also spoke about her research work, particularly her studies on spiders and butterflies, linking her personal experience to the importance of perseverance and opportunities for women in science.

Also featured in the exhibition is Elida Zhulati, from Gjirokastra, who preserves the craft of traditional embroidery. She spoke about her connection to the profession, the city and tradition, stressing that despite difficult times, she has continued to preserve this heritage.

Meanwhile, young singer-songwriter Luna Causholli expressed gratitude to her family and everyone who contributed to the project, which she described as a special experience for girls and women.

The exhibition is conceived as an opportunity to hear the voices of Balkan women and to look beyond the stereotypes that have often accompanied them.

From Tirana to Banja Luka, the stories of the nine women reflect their lives in different professions, environments and circumstances, addressing themes of freedom, work, motherhood, the economy, appearance and confronting prejudice.

The photographs are accompanied by personal narratives that bring the protagonists’ perspectives on what it means to be a woman in the Balkans today.

The photographic project was created by AFP contributors in the Balkans, Adnan Beci in Albania and Elvic Barukçiq in Bosnia, under the editorial direction of Andrej Isakoviç. Curation and interviews were done by Camille Bouissou, with contributions from AFP journalists in the Balkans.

The physical exhibition is accompanied by a multilingual online platform, which contains an extended gallery of photographs, written stories and audio material.

“Unbounded Voices: Women of the Balkans – Strength & Legacy” will remain open at Vila 31 x Art Explora until October 2, inviting visitors to discover the stories and voices of the women behind the images.