TIRANA, Oct. 23- A group of artists from Albania and Kosovo have organized an exhibition in Graz, Austria, titled ‘Let’s discover the similarities.’ The concept of the exhibition is that art breaks all barriers and unites nations and people, regardless of geographical distances.
The exhibition is curated by Eva Lassing and brings various oil paintings, works on paper, collages, and sculptures. Some of the artists are Albana Ejupi, Haxhi Fejzullahu, Destan Gashi, Resul Jusufi, Admir Pervathi, Edi Rama, Adriana Sedaj, Naim Spahiu.
In this exhibition Albania is represented by Admir Pervathi with his abstract paintings, and our current prime minister Edi Rama, with some of his works on paper. Rama’s work are from the periods when he was Tirana Mayor and Minister of Culture, and thus has been presented with his official title along with his artist’s status.
There are eight pieces from Rama displayed in this exhibition. For Pervathi, on the other hand, this is not the first time that his work is being exhibited in Austria.
‘’Aside from the warm welcoming from the hosts and participating public at this exhibition, it was valuable meeting the artists from Kosovo, a sort of friendly confrontation. ‘Let’s discover the similarities’ isn’t this exhibition’s title for nothing. We were all presented with unique works, on various media, but what unites us is art,’’ said Pervathi.
The exhibition will remain open until Nov. 7 and it is opened on the framework of the Austria-Albania cultural year and the 10th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence. It grabbed the local media’s attention as some of the displayed work is from the prime minister of Albania, respectively Rama.
The organizer Karl Bauer said that the event is essential to get attention shifted to the Western Balkans area, as Braz and Steiermark have had a close relationships with the countries in the area. This exhibition is initiated by him is also in respect to Austria getting the EU presidency for the second half of 2018.
‘’Initiatives like this one promote cultural dialogue,’’ said Austrian Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, who attended the event.
As the cultural year is about rediscovering the similarities between nations, by inciting a friendly dialogue through art and culture.
‘’Culture approaches nations, but only when art is the translator. Art teaches us that being human, is the only true identity that unifies us,’’ said Fatmir Osmani, the director of the Coordinating Council of Albanian Associations in Steiermark.
