TIRANA, Feb. 20 – Based on the new draft law on art and culture proposed by the ministry of culture, a number of visual arts institutions will undergo changes in their names and conceptualization, with landmarks such as the National Arts Gallery turning into the National Museum of Fine Arts; the proposal has received both positive and negative reactions.
The draft law will focus on all museums holding national museum status, as functioning institutions which host, preserve, protect, evaluate and administer cultural heritage.
It has been more than 60 years that the National Arts Gallery goes by this name, which is why the possibility of its change has been commented by visual artists.
Artist and Dean of the Visual Arts Faculty Ardian Isufi told local media the draft law should not focus on the form, but on the content of museums, adding that the status of a museum isn’t a valid reason to change its name.
“The national gallery has its own history. With albanian institutions having such recent history, removing their names devalues them even more. This “year zero” mentality worries me. Everytime someone comes to power, they want to change things. I have nothing against the status of the museum, but its name shouldn’t change,” Isufi said.
He also said that, according to him, it would be better for the ministry to start thinking of establishing a contemporary art centre, as the only museums in Albania are from the 1800-1900s.
Others, like painter Gazmend Leka, have supported the draft law, saying he was the one to propose the museum’s new name, adding that by receiving a museum status the gallery will be given priority in the conservation of cultural values.
“The museum will be more central, like the National Museum. If the Gallery turns into a museum, they cannot move things around like they’ve done so far. Museums promote values that have been conserved through the centuries, while galleries are changing more frequently. We still need national museums, museums which will preserve values,” Leka said.
Another artist that spoke in defence of the draft law was art scholar and sculptor Suzana Kuka.
Kuka also said the change name was a suggestion coming from some of the most prominent visual artists, and added the change would mean a more sophisticated class of experts could be employed there, making more sophisticated art curations also possible.
According to Kuka, the fact that the exhibitions displayed at the gallery after it receives its national museum status will be more refined is a good thing, as according to her, not all artists’ work deserves to be hanging in museums, especially if it’s not renowned.
“It’s good to not exhibit everything. When it becomes a museum, exhibitions will also be more serious and artists more finely selected,” Kuka said.
