TIRANA, Oct. 21 – Albanian and international artists have come together in a joint exhibition paying tribute to late Albanian writer Migjeni who laid the foundations of contemporary Albanian poetry in the early 20th century.
The exhibition named “Neo-Migjenian-Find a city to Migjen” targets bringing back to the public the atmosphere of the poet whose premature death at the age of 26 in 1938 is considered a tragic loss for modern Albanian letters.
“Through different artworks created by both Albanian and foreign artists in different genres and techniques, the exhibition showcases a trip through visual art and the writer’s coherent written evidence in Albanian literature,” says Krenar Zejno, the curator of the exhibition.
“The curatorial concept to express a message, a reality, an idea or forecast through painting which corresponds to the Migjenian context has brought the artists together to further research into the invisible of their works,” adds the curator.
According to him, the research into the visual art is also dedicated to Migjeni’s works to better understand their philosophy.
Albania’s Adrian Isufi, Helidon Haliti, Edi Hila, Enkelejd Zonja, Kosovo’s Gembi Xerxa and Italy’s Stefano Albanese and Simone Pellegrini are among the 21 artists featured in the exhibition at the National Art Gallery in Tirana which will remain open from Oct. 22 to Nov. 16.
Born in Shkodra in 1911, Migjeni is poet and prose writer who has left his mark on Albanian literature and culture, though posthumously because of his premature passing away of tuberculosis at only 26.
While previous generations of poets had sung to the beauties of the Albanian mountains and the sacred traditions of the nation, Migjeni opened his eyes to the harsh realities of life, to the appalling level of misery, disease and poverty he discovered all around him.
Though he did not publish a single book during his lifetime, Migjeni’s works, which circulated privately and the press of the period, were an immediate success, paving the way for a modern literature in Albania.
His works have also appeared in English in the past decade in the volume “Free Verse.”
