“We show you Albania before the Forties”

“Albania possesses an enormous wealth in photographic materials, unique to the Balkans, but despite this Albania does not exist in the world history of photography. Not a single reference, not a single name to indicate how many talented photographers this country has had over the years. Not even the unprecedented dynasty of the Marubi family ranks alongside the big names of universal photography.” This is the conclusion two French researchers have drawn Lolc Chauvin and Christian Raby, who will keep their exhibition open until 10 June. Their exhibition is called “Historical View of Albanian Photography,” which has opened at the National Gallery of Arts. At this Albanian photography exhibition, there are not just exhibits from the Marubi collection, but by other photographer-artists as well, such as Mio, Sotiri, Xhimitiku etc. The exhibition was organized by the researchers themselves Chauvin and Raby, helped by “Albimazh”. The National Gallery of Arts also supported this interesting project to exhibit Albanian photographs of the forties’, as well as other central and national institutions such as the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports, the State Archives, the Museum of National History, the Marubi Photo Center and the families of the artists. The majority of the sixty photographs on display have never been shown in public before.