Sarah Demeuse

This first book about Brilant Milazimi's work centers on, and circles around, Hard Teeth (Dhëmbë të Fortë), his panoramic painting presented at the 61st Venice Biennale.

Resembling a collection of short stories, the book dwells on timely topics including sovereignty, migration, delay, speech and silence, perseverance, and the relevance of narrative in the face of contemporary adversities. Teeth here become placeholders for ideas, reflections, historical critique, and the power of the imagination.

A series of newly commissioned texts from Magalí Arriola, Justin Beal, Hana Halilaj, and Ana Janevski are complemented by a selection of reprints from Migjeni, Vjosa Musliu, and Damir Pilić that add regional nuance. José Esparza Chong Cuy's curatorial overview meanders through the book, summarizing the themes explored in Milazimi's work and briefly introducing each new text, while a reprint from Valeria Luiselli's The History of My Teeth links dental anecdote with literature, power, and the economy. A fragment from Hans Ulrich Obrist's visit to Milazimi's studio brings in reflections about home and movement.

Finally, segments of Milazimi's large-scale landscape painting punctuate the publication before culminating in a full panorama.