"In Between" stops time at the Bus Station and in Munich

Conceived as a parallel story between two cities that are rarely mentioned together, but that preserve within themselves those invisible spaces that are not found in any guidebook, “In Between” has stopped time at the Bus Station in Pristina, while a bus in Munich has carried the rest of the story. This space “in between”, as the organizers have called it, has shown that the city is not only made up of monuments, but of the cracks that remain over the years. Of the places where people stop for a moment, even when they are on the move

A stage built in anticipation. The plastic chairs of the Bus Station, the voices scattered around the counters, the walking that does not stop. From this daily movement, a new, temporary space has been built, which has been named “In Between”. A space that, for two hours on a Friday night, has gathered art, passersby and travelers under the same roof. And at the same time, in Munich, a moving bus has carried the rest of this double narrative.

“In Between” is conceived as a parallel story between two cities that are rarely mentioned together, but that preserve within themselves those invisible spaces that are not found in any guidebook. This is exactly where “StoryLab” from Kosovo and “Dazwischen” from Germany found their starting point, in what is not visible, in the gap between the known and the unknown.

The space near counters 7 to 12 has become a stage. The male and female performers stand at the ends of the same line, while the soft music of a synth creates the pulse that keeps the audience silent. People waiting for buses make way, while others sit opposite, like random guests in a theater that rises where it is not expected.

Artrit Bytyçi from "StoryLab" revealed that they have been collaborating with "Dazwischen" for a year and that the idea came after a long period of research.

"For quite a while we were thinking about what we could do to tell the story between Pristina and Munich. We had a few different ideas, but we decided that the best thing was to tell something indirectly and then everyone could give their own meaning to it. So, we thought of exploring a space in between, that is, that's how we named it 'In between/Në mes/Dazwischen' between Pristina and Munich," he said.

The first performance was a kind of play, short but essential, created by Valdrin Thaqi and Svenja Schafer. A poignant dialogue between two characters, performed by Klara Grapci-Germizaj and Art Pasha. It all starts when Viola Rrecaj, who plays the keys of the synth, sings lightly and says a sentence at the end. As if to contradict what she said, Art Pasha shouts, sitting on the seats of that amphitheater that has been formed within the spaces of the Bus Station. The people around are surprised. There the dialogue with the other character begins, who from the beginning of the performance seems like a random passerby, waiting for a travel ticket.

She described the feeling of being included in this everyday space.

"It was a wonderful experience. We did a show together last year at the 'Grand' hotel and it was a wonderful experience to do something completely different again, about love if I may say so and something sweet as well. It was poetic. We did a lot of poetry last year too, it's nostalgic, a little more sensitive," said Klara Grapci-Germizaj.

He added that the country has also brought a kind of personal comeback.

"Doing it here at a bus stop, with the pigeons and all the passersby, was really cool and made it feel very real. The Bus Stop is an essential part of the city and I'm really impressed by how it hasn't changed since I was a kid," she added.

In this mixed reality, the performance functioned like a small pebble, the shadows of people played on the floor, while the rhythm of the voices of the counters tried to become part of the composition. In the cafes on the upper floor, people looked in wonder through the windows at what was happening below, laughing and reflecting, while listening attentively.

In another corner of the hall, the aroma of dough, spices and chocolate has created another sign of “the middle”. Rebeca Werkmann has offered a kind of story that is not told in words, but in taste. As people approach the table, the Station’s movement paths turn into quiet queues, where passengers and the public share the same plate.

This part has brought an almost family atmosphere, a moment of rest in a place that usually carries haste and rush. And this is where the meaning of the title has emerged: between two departures, between two cities, between two cultures, there is a piece of time where people leave the road a little aside. Food from both cultures has been served. German “pretzel” is smeared with Albanian ajvar, creating a contrast. “sauerkraut” is served in paper cups. As Werkmann served it to the people who approached, he said in a German accent “It’s a coincidence!” To sweeten the experience, cake balls have also been served, in which cocoa mixes the taste of ground cookies.

The third part of the evening came from “Futur Studio”, with an interactive installation created by Endrit Jashanica, which invited people to extend their hands towards a screen. The shiny particles moved according to their gestures, creating a different language of communication, a language between the body and pixels, between the visible and what only algorithms sense. The right half of the screen, which was placed at the exit of the Station, reflected the movements of the people who had passed by. The other half was a mirror of human movements in Munich. A competition of its kind to see who could push the crumbs towards each other the most.

At this point, the Bus Station has transformed into a medieval space: on one side the physical expectations of daily commutes, on the other the abstract splendor of another world.

The concept of the event has been built from the beginning as a twin event.

"We have created the concept of two exhibitions that take place at the same time, or two cultural events that take place at the same time. In a word, we have made it a kind of cultural event that extends in space and time. It takes place at the same time in Pristina and in Munich for two days in a row," explained Artrit Bytyçi.

He added that the collaboration with "Dazwischen" has enabled each party to bring their own creative strength.

"'Dazwischen' has expertise in theater, literature, and music, while we as 'StoryLab' are like a kind of storytelling laboratory, we do different experiments with storytelling. Maybe we are a little stronger in the conceptual art part, so instead of making the same thing, why not make two different things and have everyone play with what they are strongest, best, and most skilled at," he said.

Precisely because of this approach, the performance in Pristina and the one in Munich are not mirrors, but two layers of the same idea, constructed in two different ways. The evening brought a kind of unusual calm to Stacion. The attendees moved from performance to taste, from taste to installation, from installation to their expectations, seeing how easily art enters places where it is usually not required.

This space "in between," as the organizers called it, has shown that the city is not only made up of monuments, but of the cracks that remain over the years. Of places where people stop for a moment, even when they are on the move.