Narrations – small formats, artist edition of 50 prints, each 14,8×10,5cm, linocut on rice paper, 2023-2024

For years, I never consciously encountered a firebug, but now I meet them almost every day when opening my eyes and intentionally looking out for one of these little creatures. This is, when stepping out the door, near the transition between the pavement and the grass verge, when visiting my parents in the countryside, on the schoolyard where I work or on the university campus. This process of gradually becoming aware of firebugs began with a walk through a park in Tirana: Suddenly a fire bug ran in front of my feet. Since then, I keep discovering more and more of them, realising how much our life spheres overlap.
From this observa:on that humans share many common habitats with firebugs, but that I actually know nothing about them, a two-year project of observing and representing firebugs began. I started to process my encounters with and observations of firebugs through art and made them accessible to other people in the form of linocuts.
While at first, it was challenging to perceive details in their body structure and behaviour, over time, my senses became accustomed to the microcosm and an unexpected complexity, playfulness and beauty opened up to me. Through this time spent together, I was also able to recognise parallels in our habits, such as sunbathing, eating, resting and could observe the animals through several cycles. Firebugs live for up to a year and hibernate in cracks and crevices in the ground, before slowly appearing starting from April. Besides, these animals inspired me to think about how we as humans can show more respect and affection to insects. This can include recognising their creativity or considering them in the ways we live and build.
In the end, this edition serves as an invitation to be more aware of the microcosm at our feet and to look out for all the different living beings with whom we share so much with but often fail to notice.