In 2022, a massive fire destroyed the main concert hall in Skopje, Universal Hall. The building had been closed for many years and was undergoing a full-scale renovation following an intense public debate.

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Universal Hall was a gift from the international community to the people of Skopje after the 1963 earthquake. Situated in a prime location in the city centre, it hosted significant cultural events and was considered “the symbol of modern Skopje.”

 

The fire put the renovation plans on hold and the building became a “no man’s land,” empty and abandoned, like a vast graveyard.

 

By September 2025, the artist had planned to capture the building’s dome from the inside and project it onto the Cifte Hamam dome. However, she was unable to secure a filming permit or access to the building. She therefore created a dystopian video of the burning dome using AI, based on media photographs of the fire.

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The work thus serves as a reminder not only of the moment the building was engulfed in flames, but also of all other fires that occurred this year, whether natural or man-made, here and abroad. 

 

Universal Fire explores the constant transformation of spaces, the gap between reality and fiction, and the way we deal with memory, loss and ultimately, death.

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(Photo: Roman Richers, 2025)