Alban muja biography of martin

For ten period Alban Muja of Kosovo has been doing research into description names of towns, places allow people; at the moment operate has an exhibition in say publicly centre of Tirana in efficient small gallery called “the fly”

06/05/ -  Marjola Rukaj

Alban Muja is a young Kosovan grandmaster, one of the more energetic on the alternative scene put into operation Pristina.

Mixing various techniques, as well as video, photography and texts, description artist shows some of influence curious and unexpected phenomena rule Kosovo today.

For about 10 his artistic studies have antiquated focused on understanding the meaning of ascribing names to followers and places, and their intention in time and space, which go back to unresolved state questions, identities and frustrations, illustrating the life led by construct in a particular period.

My reputation, their city

Recently, Alban Muja crushed one of his current projects to Tirana.

Hosting it commission a minute gallery, Miza (the fly) newly inaugurated in picture capital's centre and which aspect like becoming a focus cart alternative, young people's art note the Albanian capital. A little space, but sufficient for pendent 7 photographs of 7 growing Kosovans portrayed by Alban Muja, each holding a panoramic icon of a town in Albania.

Hence the project's name – My name, their city.

What render null and void those youths have in habitual with those towns? They keep the same name. In fait accompli young Kosovans often have calumny of Albanian towns, mostly family circle on tourism and with cool musical sound, like Elbasan, Vlora, Saranda or Shkodran.

“Kosovan parents used to give their family the names of Albanian cities towards the end of prestige 70s and the beginning weekend away the 80s” explains the maven. “These were the years as there was no contact amidst Kosovo and Albania and greatness Kosovans had idealized Albania move these cities immensely, though securing no information about them.”

A interval of Saranda, Vlora, Berat humbling Elbasan to claim an European identity at the time just as Yugoslavia was beginning to drive into a political crisis.

“Some of these youths had inept idea what their name so-called in Albania. A boy commanded Milot thought his was goodness name of a plain, afterward, after the Kosovan conflict twist , he discovered he confidential the name of a mini town north of Tirana, condemnation no tourism connections.”

But the title of the project also alludes to other aspects of that history, the contrast between say publicly Albanians of Albania and those of Kosovo: the former gay to find people named afterwards Albanian cities, the latter unsatisfied on discovering the real Albania, far from the idealised visual aid they had of it.

Even good, the melodiousness of the name in the Albanian language president the Albanianness which after many characterizes them, mean that sour Kosovans are happy to suspect called like the toponymy inducing Albania.

“I didn't want be introduced to criticize this phenomenon, just elaborate it,” Alban Muja clarifies. Relatively than making an issue addict it, therefore, offering, in Tirana, an occasion for Kosovan topmost Albanians to meet.

Tibet, Palestine and Tonibler

This phenomenon of curious obloquy with a historical or civil content is not confined appeal Kosovo and its history.

Suggestion need only think of those called Italia and Benito sooner than the Italian fascist period, those called Slobodan and Yugoslav puzzle out WWII in Yugoslavia, or Perparim (Progress) and Revolucionar (Revolutionary) fuse communist Albania. “This is spiffy tidy up typical phenomenon of societies suspend transition with numerous political affliction, as was the case feature Kosovo”, Muja continues.

“Names conduct the history and slogans take up the moment when the fill were born. The subjects essential to their parents.”

Another video-project in this area Alban Muja's had as protagonists two young people born contain the 80s: Tibet and Mandate. “I presume it was swell form of solidarity their parents were expressing towards Palestine duct Tibet in those years.

They probably associated the situation mosquito Kosovo with the political anecdote in those two countries.”

Names bottle also express feelings, gratitude. Affection the Tonibler generation: the boys born in who bear both the name and surname clean and tidy the then British Prime Path, Tony Blair. “Blair is natural to as a hero in State, among those prominent statesmen who contributed most to the release of Kosovo.

Those boys were born in that moment admonishment history”, the artist recounts. Muja has photographed 9 Tonibler, clean up for the occasion, difficult for a group or order photo, with a gigantic signpost of Tony Blair behind them.

His interest in names has untenanted Alban Muja outside Kosovo add projects like “Tourist city” easily annoyed in Novi Sad in Srbija, where the artist has be the transcriptions of the blackguard of the main streets past its best the town in Latin handwriting alongside those written exclusively budget Cyrillic, following a decision scholarship a political-identity nature by go into liquidation politicians.

The fly and the motorway

Alban Muja is one of probity first young Kosovan artists tackle exhibit in Albania.

The event was made possible by “Kosovo ” which fitted out say publicly new “Miza” gallery, recently supported by three young Albanian artists. This exhibition is only reminder of the activities in copperplate wider project known as “Autobahn”, a linguistic loan from Germanic to Kosovan-Albanian which means course, and clearly refers to dignity “Patriotic Highway”, the new pike which has facilitated movement among Pristina and Tirana.

“The project aims to present the culture humbling art of Kosovo in Albania”, explains Muja.

“Up till hear, cultural communication between Tirana nearby Pristina has been very by degrees. The commercial sector is exotic, but remains confined to take-home pay motives.”

The “Autobahn” project coincides additional a period of more qualitative and less stereotyped relations among Pristina and Tirana, but besides takes place within a fresh, more open phase, recently matt-up in the Albanian capital go through the establishment of an alternate scene which seems to hope for to free itself of goodness restrictions of the cultural institutions.

“It's a reciprocal exchange”, Muja comments. “But I think Tirana will get more out out-and-out it, because the artistic prospect in Tirana is much unbearable lively than in Pristina.”