On June 3, 2023, On the occasion of the Italian Week in Albania, the Embassy of Italy in Albania in collaboration with Harabel Contemporary presented “One hundred and sixty-one years”, a meeting at the former Italian Consulate in Scutari as a space for art and culture.

During this event, the public had the chance to visit two different exhibitions:

“Flowers and Tears / Seeds” with the works of the artist Fatlum Doçi, curated by Ajola Xoxa.

The installation “Flowers and Tears”, made of different materials. This work consists of a series of objects or sculptures created by the artist with materials that are usually used in producing jewelry or decorative elements. These elements created by the artist in the form of stylized objects with almost floral motifs, occupy a large part of the gallery space, where they stand as a single work. The materials that are mainly used by artisans such as: silver, copper, natural stones, resin, etc., are brought differently by the artist through this work, in shapes that are liberated from their usual function.

“Seeds” is an installation that combines natural material with industrial equipment, created with pumpkins, willow branches, hydraulic tubes and lamps. The installation creates the impression of strange, enormous climbing plants (ramps, bends, extensions, full of light) of various dimensions extending upward, creating a sense of intimidation- despite the sensation that should have caused the understanding of the creation name, “Seeds”.

Fatlum Doçi (1991, Shkodra, Albania) is a visual artist who lives and works in Shkodra. He studied multimedia arts at the University of Arts in Tirana, where he graduated in 2015. Ever since, he has developed a body of work that encompasses painting, drawing, watercolor, sculpture, video, installation, jewelry and typewriting art. Regardless of the medium, Doçi envisions his creative process as a departure from the ordinary and a journey inward, in order to experience what appears to be obvious to the human eye and, also, what doesn’t.

“Interlace” with works from the Textile and Fashion Atelier, University of Fine Arts of Tirana, curated by Najada Hamza.

The works constitute a 35-year journey of the students of the textile and fashion program. Learning the history and techniques of weaving is an important part of the textile arts program and the training of fiber artists.

The students’ works are based on different topics, where the idea and the medium are conceptually linked. The works on display were two and three-dimensional soft sculptures.The works were made with unusual and particular materials, deviating from the classic format of the medium.

The evening was concluded with a musical program, with the participation of:

Jusuf Beshiri – Baroque musical evening with a variety of Neapolitan rhythms from Antonio Valente to Domenico Scarlatti, followed by the Spanish “Las Follias”; followed by Vlashent Sata & Band