Tirana Times
TIRANA, May 17 – Ledia Kostandini, one of Albania’s most promising young painters and photographers, has been announced the winner of the Grand Finale of Contemporary Art Award, ARDHJE (Arrival) 2011.
Kostandini was awarded the prize for two paintings, winning a 6-week artist-in-residency in New York City. She participated in the competition with two oil on canvass works called “Toward Europe” and “Liberation” bringing back Albania’s atmosphere of celebrations during the communist regime, mixed with current EU aspirations. Six other artists were short-listed for the big prize.
A graduate of design from the Academy of Arts in Tirana, Ledia Kostandini has participated in numerous events. Her work is built on artistic research, closely related to the surrounding reality, exhibited mainly in painting and photography.The winner of ARDHJE 2011 was announced by an international jury composed of Alessandra Pioselli, curator and director of the Carrara Academy of Arts in Bergamo, Italy, Valadimir Myrtezaj, artist and professor at the Academy of Arts, Tirana, and Stefano Romano, artist and curator at the Polis university, Tirana.Contemporary Art Award ARDHJE highlights annually upcoming young contemporary artists in Albania.
Initiated in 2007, the ARDHJE Award has established itself as a leading event, entirely dedicated to the work of young Albanian artists. Created by TICA – the Tirana Institute of Contemporary Art, in collaboration with FCS – Foundation for Civil Society, New York, the ARDHJE Award is the only professional contemporary art award in Albania, consisting of a six-week residency in New York City for the winner, provided by FCS.Since 2008, the Grand Finale exhibition has been co-organized with Zeta Gallery, the only independent contemporary art gallery in Tirana.
