TIRANA, June.19- The well-known Albanian cartoon-designer Agim Sulaj, currently living in Italy, has been awarded the silver medal at the International biennale of Humor Graphic in Toledo, Spain. His submission portrayed the famous character from Don Quixote, the Dulcinea del Toboso, an imaginary object of his courtly love. Sulaj was awarded the prize in a competition where 19 artists from all over the world submitted 38 works. His submission portrayed the lady whose shadow is as loveable to the knight as she is. The figure of Toboso was the theme of the competition, carried out at her symbolic house in Spain. The book of Cervantes is one of the most read worldwide and has been loved by Albanians, who have been fascinated by the hero’s double existence in heroic and real life. Sulaj remained loyal to the ghost-hunted character by highlighting the shadow of the lady upon which the hero concentrates. The shadow represents the image of a grand queen, just like the girl was in Don Quixote’s head, while the real girl is a working peasant bent over in hard field work. Sulaj has combined watercolors with pencil techniques to create his work.
Recently, the Albanian artist has become a frequent prize-winner in international competitions. In Belgium he received a special recognition two months ago in an international cartoon festival with a submission called, “work– the key to all achievements.” In November 2006 he received awards in France as well as in an international contest of thematic drawings.
