ART CITIES:Tirana-Stranger than Kindness

Pipilotti Rist, When My Mother's Brother Was Born It Smelled Like Wild Pear Blossom in Front of the Brown-burnt Sill (Video Still), 1992. © Pipilotti Rist. Courtesy the artist, Hauser & Wirth, Video Company and Luhring AugustineIt’s a fact by now that the Contemporary Albanian art starts to have an impact on the international art scene. The role that the organizing of an international art event, such as “International Onufri” Prize”, has a vital importance in not only having made it possible, but also that has contributed a lot to changing the image of the Albania itself.

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: National Gallery of Arts Archive

The “Onufri” Prize” that started in 1998 aims to present high contemporary artists, with a lot of creative energy, selected by international standards. The previous years of experience has shown that “Onufri Prize” has been a launching platform for many young and aspiring artists, Albanian and foreigner as well. This due to the combined showing of their work with more established artists, as well as through contacts with galleries, curators, and critics, invited either as members of the international jury, or as participants to the round tables organized within the framework of the exhibition. The National Gallery of Arts in Tirana presents the 22nd International Onufri Prize under the title “Stranger than Kindness – Mitrush Kuteli”, also  the exhibition features the special projects “Cinema” and “Taxi” that originates by Anri Sala’s “No Formula One No Cry – Taxi”. Inspired from the song “Stranger than Kindness” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, this edition is dedicated to the Albanian writer Mitrush Kuteli. Participating Artists: Hamra Abbas, Klodiana Alia, Luca Bolognesi, Guri Bulovari, Erik Bünger, Kajsa Dahlberg, Nico Dockx, Jakup Ferri, Ulrika Ferm, Regina José Galindo, Rä di Martino, Dora Garcia, Manuela Garcia, Yllka Gjollesha, Khaled Hafez, Pablo Helguera, Dejan Kaludjerovic, Ilir Lluka, Edson Luli, Christopher Milne, Haroon Mirza, Museo Aero Solar, Bruno Muzzolini, Ferhat Özgür, Klodian Pasku, Steve Piccolo, Leonard Qylafi, Pipilotti Rist, Damien Roach, Karl Ingar Røys, Anri Sala, Tomas Saraceno, Mariette Schiltz and Bert Theis, Arjan Shehaj, Bert Theis, Josephine Turalba, Esmé Valk, Daniëlle Van Ark, Desmond Xhixha, Helidon Xhixha, Shingo Yoshida and Ergin Zaloshnja.

Info: Curator: Fani Zguro, National Gallery of Arts Tirana, Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit, Tirana, Duration 15/12/16-1/2/17, Days & Hours: Wed-Sun 10:00-18:00, www.galeriakombetare.gov.al