International painting exhibition attracts record visitors

TIRANA, June 21 – An exhibition featuring 71 works by Italian and some of the world’s best painters including Pablo Picasso attracted a record 6,000 visitors during its stage at the National Gallery of Arts in Tirana, officials have said. The exhibition which was open to visitors for more than one month until the end of May featured artworks by Andy Warhol, Francesco Clemente, Basquiat, Chagall, Sironi etc.
“Classical Shines became the most visited exhibition in the National Gallery of Arts. Some 6,000 people visited its two sections. Artworks by well known artists of the 20th century but also of the 16-18th centuries touched the Albanian land for the first time,” said Rubens Shima, the galley’s director. The collection, valued by experts at over 26 million US dollars, was owned by Italian collector Franceso Martani. The most valued piece was Paul Klee’s “Album Blatt fir Y,” estimated at some 2.5 million US dollar.
The exhibition was held as part of a cultural season jointly organised by Albania and Italy and was a pivotal moment in Albania’s cultural history. It was perceived in two sections. The first section called “Classical shines” featured 21 works by Italian artists created from the 16th to 20th century, including paintings by Anibale Carraci and Guido Reni. The second section brought the atmosphere of the 20th century artists.
Albanians who cannot follow such collections worldwide needed to see with their own eyes the works of such grandiose names of the world art like Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro and others starting from those of the 16-17th century, said Shima.
“I had been really dreaming to see a Picasso if I went abroad but that’s here, in front of my eyes. Look at it,” said Julinda, an art student moving hands to show her excitement and shy with rosy cheeks.
The gallery’s programme will follow with an exhibition of 120 years of the art of sculpture in Albania.
Next autumn, the national arts gallery says it will display a collection of international contemporary artworks which will be followed by an exhibition of a renowned Spanish author.