The exhibition displays personal items, such as Fishta’s work desk, his typing-machine, his cane and dozens of manuscripts and photographs
TIRANA, Oct. 25 – A rare exhibition featuring previously unseen collections and personal items of late Father Gjergj Fishta, one of Albania’s greatest and most influential poets, has opened at the National Museum of History on the 140th anniversary of the birth of the poet.
The exhibition displays personal items, such as Fishta’s work desk, his typing-machine, his cane and dozens of manuscripts and photographs.
Speaking at the inauguration of the exhibition this week, Culture Minister Aldo Bumci compared Fishta to the ancient Greek epic poet Homer.
“This exhibition is double evidence because of bringing for the first time the originality of the creative life of Gjergj Fishta, his work environment and above all turning into evidence the unique relationship of the people with its national poet,” said Bumci, adding that people’s respect for Fishta was shown in the preservation of his items despite risking being sentenced during the communist regime.
The government also plans to reconstruct Fishta’s house, in the Fishte village of the Zadrime area in northern Albania and putting a work by this writer to stage for the first time.
Experts are also working to compile an album from the Marubi photo collection chronologically portraying Fishta’s life and activity. His full works will also be republished in cooperation with the Franciscan Province, says the ministry.
The exhibition at the National Museum of History will remain open until October 28.
Gjergj Fishta, is considered the greatest and most influential figure of Albanian literature in the first half of the twentieth century,
More than any other writer, Gjergj Fishta (1871-1940), gave artistic expression to the searching soul of the now sovereign Albanian nation. Lauded and celebrated up until the Second World War as the ‘national poet of Albania’ and the ‘Albanian Homer,’ Fishta was to fall into sudden oblivion when the communists took power in November 1944. The very mention of his name became taboo for forty-six years.
A renowned priest, teacher, politician and promoter of the northern Albanian northern Geg culture, Gjergj Fishta is the author of a total of thirty-seven literary publications.
