Press Release 13 July 2020 New Exhibition Constructing a Dream Socialist in Albanian 07 July - 15 November 2020

Pera Museum is pleased to present a new exhibition “Constructing a Dream: in .” The exhibition presents a selection of works produced during the years of dictatorship when a political attitude aimed at spreading the founding principles of reigned supreme. “Constructing a Dream: Socialist Realism in Albanian Art” is on view between July 7 – October 15, 2020.

Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Pera Museum presents a new exhibition after an obligatory 3- month break due to Covid-19 pandemic. Curated by Artan Shabani, “Constructing a Dream: Socialist Realism in Albanian Art” investigates the impact of the communist ideology on Albanian visual during the second half of the 20th century and offers an opportunity to become familiar with the culture and identity of Albanian people who had been isolated from the rest of the world for a long time, and centers around the daily life, working class, of leadership, representations of the regime and a hopeful approach to upcoming generations.

Visualisation of 40 years dedicated to socialist realism Curator Artan Shabani defines “socialist realism” which shaped the Albanian art for 40 years as a period during which the state directed and controlled artists as well as artistic creativity and says that the exhibition brings together a selection of works from the leading artists of . Comprised of , propaganda and film posters, clothing designs and childrens’ books, the exhibition not only reflects the period’s but also offers a chance to look into changes in the Albanian society through partisan warfare and resistance against occupation forces, the defense of the motherland, national industrialization, social life and sports.

Among the exhibited artists are Guri Madhi, who was among the founders of the Albanian Fine Arts Academy and an “Artist of the People” (the highest accolade bestowed upon artists of the socialist realist period); Safo Marko, Pandi Mele and Pëllumb Bylyku, who were some of the most important graphic designers in the Albanian visual arts; ; Robert Përmeti with his paintings of soldiers and athletes; Agim Faja, Zef Shoshi, Dhimitër Theodhori, Skënder Kamberi, and Ramazan Memishi with their works depicting the enthusiasm of “new” people building a new Albania; Kristofor Naslazi and Lumturi Blloshmi with their impressive portraits; Sami Roçi, Lec Shkreli, Guri Madhi, and Ilija Rota with their landscape paintings; and Myrteza Fushekati, Shyqyri Sako, Namik Prizreni, Aziz Karalliu, Bujar Zajmi, Kleo Nini, and Astrit Tota with their film posters.

Stalin’s “soul engineers” Faculty member of University of Art in Ermir Hoxha, who also wrote an extensive article for the exhibition catalogue, defines Albanian socialist realism as “euphoric, optimistic, and beautiful” at first glance and adds “Established in communist Albania during the Cold War as part of a state platform, it was the official image of communist ideology, from the late 1950s until the fall of the regime in 1991. As such, it would essentially preach a “new world”, rising above the ruins of the old

Meşrutiyet Caddesi No.65, 34430 Tepebaşı - Beyoğlu – İstanbul Tel. + 90 212 334 99 00

one: a “new world” without exploitation, no exploited people and no exploiters, where no social classes existed and where the income was shared equally among all.”

Ermir Hoxha, who states that socialist realism developed after the October Revolution in Russia (1917), more precisely with Stalin’s rise to power, when the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia, founded in May 1922, encouraged the realistic approach to the avant-garde concludes “the “soul engineers,” as Stalin called these artists, were tasked with the ideological transformation and education of workers in the spirit of socialism.”

4 concepts defining socialist realism Albanian academician defines socialist realism with 4 key concepts: “Proletarian” for being relevant and understandable to the workers, “typical” for depicting scenes from the people’s daily lives, “realistic” for producing representational images, and “partisan” for supporting the objectives of the state and the party. Ermir Hoxha says “These themes were materialized in thousands of large canvases, billboards, posters, and monuments under the strict scrutiny of the propaganda machine throughout the countries of the Soviet orbit” and defines socialist realism, which was built as an aesthetic method, as “the material, tangible evidence of an immaterial dream and the artistic vision of another World almost impossible to reach.”

Exhibited artists: Abdurrahim Buza, Afërdita Meçe, Agim Faja, Agim Shami, Agron Jakupi, Alush Shima, Aristotel Papa, Astrit Tota, Aziz Karalliu, Bujar Zajmi, Bujar Luca, Dhimitër Theodhori, Fatbardha Shkupi, Guri Madhi, Hamdi Hallu, Ilija Rota, Isuf Sulovari, Jani Talo, Kleo Nini, Koço Vogli, Kristofor Naslazi, Lec Shkreli, Lumturi Blloshmi, Myrteza Fushekati, Myzafer Dika, Namik Prizreni, Pandi Mele, Pëllumb Bylyku, Petrit Ilanaj, Petro Kokushta, Ramazan Memishi, Robert Përmeti, Safo Marko, Sali Allmuça, Sami Roçi, Shyqyri Sako, Skënder Kamberi, Vjollca Gavoçi Stamo, Zef Shoshi. “Constructing a Dream: Socialist Realism in Albanian Art” is on view between July 7 – November 15, 2020 at Pera Museum in Istanbul, Turkey.

Pera Museum can be visited Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:00 to 18:00 and on Sundays between 12:00 – 18:00. Free entrance for all on Fridays between 16:00 – 18:00 and free entrance for students on “Young Wednesdays”!

Press Enquiries: Amber Eroyan - Grup 7 İletişim / [email protected] (212) 292 13 13 Büşra Mutlu - Pera Müzesi / [email protected] (212) 334 09 00

Artan Shabani: Artan Shabani was born in 1969 in Vlora, Albania and currently lives between Tirana and Turin. In 1991 he moved to , then travelled in France and Spain, constantly working with different artistic projects. Shabani is the founder of The Promenade Gallery (2007) in Vlora. From October 2013 he has been Director of the National Gallery of Arts, Tirana. As an artist he works with a broad spectrum of media such as , drawing, photography, video and installation. Shabani’s work focuses mainly on historical, political and social themes, and in particular in the metamorphosis of those societies who experienced the trauma of the cold war in a local and international key, built mostly as an endless album of persisting personal memories.

Pera Museum Pera Museum was established by Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation in 2005. Located in the historic Tepebaşı quarter of the city; the museum’s building, once the famous Bristol Hotel, has been transformed into an impressive new site of galleries housing both the Foundation’s permanent collection and a programme of national and international temporary exhibitions. As a modern cultural centre in a vibrant part of the city, the museum also aims to provide its visitors with a broad range of cultural events that include learning, film, conference and music programmes.

Meşrutiyet Caddesi No.65, 34430 Tepebaşı - Beyoğlu – İstanbul Tel. + 90 212 334 99 00