The Present Past is a cultural act born from the necessity of facing the trauma of Albania’s dictatorship and the unconsciousness of collective memory. Viewing Cultural Heritage as a “laboratory,” the project uses art to process historical traces and foster future development. This initiative is driven by four key aspects:

First, it focuses on the Existence of Heritage, specifically the preservation of Spaç Prison (Camp 303). There is a pressing need to maintain this site to educate the public and address the historical lack of justice regarding crimes of the past.

Second, it addresses the Traces of the Past through direct encounter. Over two months, I travelled (commissioned by Tek Bunkeri NGO) across Albania to meet over 60 former prisoners. I collected 49 stories and created sculpted portraits through live-casting method. This process was not just artistic creation but a profound dialogue that revealed deep social wounds, allowing for the sharing of suppressed suffering and the recognition of human resilience.

Third, the project facilitates Intergenerational Communication. It aims to dismantle the climate of fear and silence that separates the older generation from the youth, encouraging a necessary confrontation with history despite existing doubts and criticism.

Finally, it utilizes Art to break the Cult of the Individual. By creating masks of living survivors—a concept traditionally reserved for political figures in Albania—the project shifts the focus to the human face, deconstructing cultural mechanisms of avoidance and empowering the individual.

The exhibition itself features 49 masks arranged in a semi-circle to symbolize unfulfilled action, accompanied by audio recordings of the survivors. It serves as a vital monument of memory, aiming to preserve Spaç as a site of education and reflection for future generations.