A call to protect Mitrovica’s rivers “Riverbed Ruins”

A powerful new art installation, “Riverbeds of Ruin,” was unveiled today along the promenade by the Ibar River, shedding light on the urgent need for environmental protection and sustainable action in the region.

The installation, created by 10 young participants under the mentorship of renowned artist Driton Selmani during the week-long workshop “The Price of Silence,” embodies a stark visual commentary on the state of Mitrovica’s rivers. Crafted entirely from recycled materials collected from riverbanks, the work rises as a monumental figure—part warning, part testament—symbolizing the consequences of human neglect.

“Not from snow. Not from straw. From waste,” Selmani remarked, explaining the symbolism behind the figure. “This totem stands as a forewarning, a witness to our collective destruction. Look closely—this is what we leave behind.”

This workshop organized by 7Arte Academy was supported by the Swiss Office for Cooperation in Kosovo.