The Sun Also Sets 08.04.2018 LR

“THE SUN ALSO SETS”

A Project by Anila Rubiku © 2018 ANILA RUBIKU

THE SUN ALSO SETS

This work is about three basic and eternal themes. The first is about the hubris of permanence. The notion that what we create now will last forever. The second is about power and how those in power create environments that shape the behaviour and thinking of their citizens. The third is the cyclical nature of time: the sun also rises but it also sets.

The first work is the inspiration for the project. This is Shelly’s poem about Ramesses II, known in Greek as Ozymandias. Once a great ruler of his known world he created a city and My name is Ozymandias, king of kings;

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'

The words a powerful man who had no conception of his sun ever setting.

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away

However, it’s not just Pharos and Kings and Queens of ancient history that built to their own glory and beliefs modern politicians do so as well.

The locus for these works started by Shelly’s poem is modern day Albania but it could be any country and any cities. Over time power “ebbs and flows” as Brutus says in the play.

Both Tirana and Durres are good examples of the hubris of the powerful but it’s much more than that. From statues to current architecture those in power control what the public space says to the people. It’s not simply a reflection of current power but a determined statement about what to think; the greatest form of power to have. When power changes so does the message. Tirana and Duress are situated in a country that has been at the centre of many civilisations and because they are at a crossroad of power their history has been very fast moving.

The artist has taken similar perspective over time to show how the built environment changed with political power in these two cities. From public squares, to statues -to ar chitecture both civic and domestic the artist shows the transformation that has taken place and the significance of it.

It’s true, we think, that the current “power” generation has more of a grasp on time, its cyclical nature and the fact that things will inevitably change; they know this but we aren’t sure they believe it. The underlying desire is to maintain forever the ideology that the lived urban environment represents.

Yes, the sun rises but, alas, it also sets...... on all of us.

2 “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land, Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand, Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal, these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

2016 - 2017 Dry etching on Stonehenge paper, coloured pencil Print cm. 33 x 30 /cm. 66 x 47 framed 3 4 2016 - 2017 Dry etching on Stonehenge paper, coloured pencil Print cm. 33 x 30 /cm. 66 x 47 framed 2016 - 2017 Dry etching on Stonehenge paper, coloured pencil Print cm. 33 x 30 /cm. 66 x 47 framed 5 2016 - 2017 Dry etching on Stonehenge paper, coloured pencil Print cm. 33 x 30 /cm. 66 x 47 framed 6 2016 - 2017 Dry etching on Stonehenge paper, coloured pencil Print cm. 33 x 30 /cm. 66 x 47 framed 7 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. paper 37 x 57,5 cm. Statue of Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha, Skenderbej Square 16.10.1988, Tirana 8 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. paper 37 x 57,5 cm. Statue of Dictator Enver Hoxha, Skenderbej Square 1988,Tirana 9 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Fall of Dictator’s statue, Skenderbej Square, 20.02.1991 Tirana 10 Watercolour on Strathmore paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Hoxha’s footprints on plinth, Skanderberg Square 22.02.1991 11 Graphite & watercolour on Strathmore paper - dimensions: 37 x 57,5 cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 12 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. The monumental inscription “ENVER” was created by the Albanian army on Mount Shpirag in 1968 Each letter measuring 150m in height 13 Watercolour on Strathmore paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Anagram of Enver by Armando Lulaj in 2012 14 Graphite & watercolour on Strathmore paper - dimensions: 37 x 57,5 cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm.

15 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Statue of Lenin, next to Hotel Dajti Tirana 1966, the only hotel for Foreigners in the capital during the comunist era 16 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Statue of Stalin, Scanderberg Square,1963 17 Watercolour on Strathmore paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Covered statue; hiden in the backyard of the National Gallery Tirana in 2012. Ready for melting and re-purposing 18 Watercolour on Strathmore paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Covered statues of Lenin and Stalin hidden in the backyard of the National Gallery Tirana in 2012. Ready for melting and re-purpos- 19 Watercolour on Strathmore paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. More covered statues ready for melting and re-purposing, 2012 20 Lenin, Stalin and Hoxha’s statues melted down to create Humanist Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, 1992 Göttingen, Germany. Watercolour on Strathmore paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. 21 Graphite & watercolour on Strathmore paper - dimensions: 37 x 57,5 cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 22 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. “Shovel Ready” for the big change of every goverment of the main Skanderberg square. Sculpture by K. Rama 1966 23 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Edi Rama’s Colourful Fasades Tirana, 2001 24 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Edi Rama’s Colourful Fasades Tirana, 2018 25 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 26 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Stalin has gone; replaced by National hero Skanderberg, Tirana1968 to the present 27 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Skanderberg Square 1989, Tirana 28 Graphite on Strathmore Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Skanderberg Square 2011, Tirana - Reconstructed during Basha’s Mayorship (Democratic Party) 29 Watercolour on Strathmore Paper, Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Skanderberg Square Tirana 2018; Reconstructed during Veliaj’s Mayorship (Socialist Party) a project by Belgian Studio 51N4E 30 Graphite & watercolour on Strathmore paper - dimensions: 37 x 57,5 cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 31 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Hope is eternal, 1991 Adriatic Sea, Durres 32 2nd century AD Roman Amphitheatre Durres 1984 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. 33 Mount Shpirag Albania 2012 - Art Project by Armando Lulaj

Watercolour on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Roman Amphitheatre surrounded by tall buildings when private land ownership was legal from 1993 to today - Durres, 2014 34 Graphite & watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 35 The Thomson Monument with the Pelican on top of it as a symbol of both Peace and Durres was build in 1924. Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Hotel dei Dogi was built by the Italians & opened its doors on 29.04.1940. To commemorate the Soviet-Albanian friendship the name was changed to Hotel Volga,1988 36 Watercolour on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Pelican gone; replaced by Partisan Mujo Ulqinaku, 2014 37 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 38 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Durres 1970 39 Mount Shpirag Albania 2012 - Art Project by Armando Lulaj

Durres, Albania -2014

Watercolour on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Same view with a partisan Durres, 2014 40 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm.

41 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Attenae in a Durres quarter next to sea with Roman wall on the right., 1988 42 Mount Shpirag Albania 2012 - Art Project by Armando Lulaj

Coloured pencils on Stonehenge Paper, Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Same quarter; wall replaced by new apartment block with electric wires, 2014 43 Graphite & Colour pencil on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm.

44 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Venetian Tower, 1988 45 Durres, Albania -2014

Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. Venetian Tower the same view, 2014 46 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 47 Watercolour on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. View of the Durres Harbour, 1992 48 Watercolour on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. View of the Durres Harbour, 2016 49 Watercolours on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 50 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Palace of Culture “Aleksander Moisiu”@ Liria Square 1968 51 Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. Palace of Culture “Aleksander Moisiu”@ Liria Square 2017 52 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 53 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Durres Grand Mosque, Liria Square, 1938 54 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Stalin Monument in front of Grand Mosque, Liria Square,1960 55 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Mosque replaced with The Palace of Youth: “AHEAD TO NEW VICTORIES” Liria Square, 1968 56 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Grand Mosque retuns - recontructed; 1994 57 Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. Grand Mosque, No fountain, Liria Square, 2017; Reconstructed during Dako’s Mayorship (Socialist Party) Financed by Kuwait 58 59 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Italian architecture Townhall, Liria SquareDurres, 1940 60 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Townhall: ‘LONG LIVE THE PEOPLES SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA’, Liria Square with fountain 1980, 61 Watercolour on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Townhall, Liria Square recontructed and financed by Kuwait, without Fountain, 2017 62 Watercolour on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Townhall Fountain removed at night Durres 2015 63 Watercolour on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Last resting place of damaged fountain for now 2016 64 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm.

65 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Liria Square 1968; Palace of Youth on the left 66 Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. Liria Square 2010, Palace of Youth demolished, Mosque financed by Kuwait takes its place. 67 Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. Liria square reconstructed, Financed by Kuwait, 2017 68 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm.

69 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. “1st May” Park 1990 70 Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. Ancient Settlement discovered in 2010 under “1st May” Park 71 Cement, glue and graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. “1st May” Park covered in concreate with Goverment permission, 2017 72 Graphite, Concreete & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 73 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Vagjel Toci in front of the Durres archeological park in 1980. Former King’s Villa above. 74 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Vagjel Toci in front of the Durres archeological park in 1980. Former King’s Villa 75 Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. The same view 2014 The archeologic park disappears 76 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm.

77 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Hotel Adriatik Durres Beach, 1988 78 Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. Hotel Adriatik now, Pine trees removed for devolpment 79 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 80 Graphite on Stonehenge Paper Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Hotel Adriatik 1988 81 Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. Hotel Adriatik 2014. 82 Graphite & Watercolour on Stonehenghe paper - dimensions: 38,5 x 57cm; Dett: 16 x 22 cm. 83 Watercolour on Strathmore Paper, Dimensions drawing: 16 x 22 cm. Durres Sunset 2018 84