Exhibition "On the road..." by artists Emanuel Koko and Bertrand Shijaku, where the latest works in sculpture and graphics are presented

Works in sculpture and graphics are exhibited in the "Street...". Two artist friends Emanuel Koko and Bertrand Shijaku have come together this time to bring an exhibition of their latest works. The exhibition with the works of two well-known artists was opened in the gallery of the Artistic Lyceum "Jordan Misja". At Lice Bertrand Shijaku is a teacher of painting and drawing and Emanuel Koko is a teacher of the wood and stone carving specialty, where they come with an exhibition that adds to the artistic life of Tirana. The "Road..." exhibition is a part of the creative and friendly path of the two artists, as sculptor Emanuel Koko says, they know each other and have been friends since years ago at the Academy of Arts. The sculptor shows that this time they have built an exhibition, which at first impression is a creative situation in black and white. "We thought about the black and white contrast from the beginning and we created the works for this exhibition based on it," says Koko. The sculptures of the artist Emanuel Koko in "Rrugës..." are several installations with solid materials of stone, wood, metal. Unlike other times that the sculptures are full and very voluminous this time they are very elegant and have a black and white graphic essence. "They are movements of people or different animals. This time I paid attention to the silhouettes themselves, or the line to be closer to the graphic essence and movement. In the linearity of my creativity of 25 years, these sculptures are characterized by black and white silhouettes", he says. The works that the sculptor Emanuel Koko presents in this exhibition were made over a period of 4 months, where in these works the combination of materials and the aesthetics of the finished work were carefully considered. The sculptor says that in relation to the public's expectations, the artist has a task: to try to change the public's tastes towards modern contemporary art. "In our country, this is a bit difficult because time and the socialist-realist culture has done its job in society. The word or sentence that art originates from the people and belongs to the people is the biggest deception in my opinion. Art is made by artists and bought by those who know and have. Despite the efforts of some artists, there are still many sculptures made according to the model of socialist realism", says Koko. The word or sentence that art originates from the people and belongs to the people is the biggest deception in my opinion. Art is made by artists and bought by those who know and have. Despite the efforts of some artists, there are still many sculptures made according to the model of socialist realism", says Koko. The word or sentence that art originates from the people and belongs to the people is the biggest deception in my opinion. Art is made by artists and bought by those who know and have. Despite the efforts of some artists, there are still many sculptures made according to the model of socialist realism", says Koko.

 The idea about the exhibition

Two lyceum teachers and two friends who this time come with a joint exhibition, but the painter Bertrand Shijaku says that the idea for the exhibition came during free time at school, where there is no shortage of discussions on art. "Since we are teachers and artists, who continue artistic creativity, we decided to create an exhibition of visual art together, Emanueli in sculpture, while I as a painter, but this time in the field of print graphics, in the xylography technique (press in wood), linogravure (printing on linoleum), and drypoint (dry needle on copper). "The exhibition is not for nothing called "The road...", that is a meaningful title for the road of art that is both beautiful, but also difficult and long", says the painter. Bertrand Shijaku in this exhibition is presented in graphic techniques, which are a cycle of landscapes from the south of Albania from the coastal villages of Dhërmi and Qeparo, where it is worth mentioning that they are landscapes realized directly in the country. "Drawings taken from nature and then naturally realized in the studio and printmaking laboratories, while the next cycle are abstract, formalist compositions realized in woodcut and drypoint on copper. These are works done in the last few days", says the painter. In his graphics, Bertrand Shijaku treats the beautiful landscape of the villages of the Albanian coast, the bright contrast of the landscapes of these areas, etc., also in the cycle of abstract or formalist compositions, he brings new ideas on contemporary art. The exhibition will remain until the 3rd of next month. where it is worth mentioning that they are landscapes realized directly in the country. "Drawings taken from nature and then naturally realized in the studio and printmaking laboratories, while the next cycle are abstract, formalist compositions realized in woodcut and drypoint on copper. These are works done in the last few days", says the painter. In his graphics, Bertrand Shijaku treats the beautiful landscape of the villages of the Albanian coast, the bright contrast of the landscapes of these areas, etc., also in the cycle of abstract or formalist compositions, he brings new ideas on contemporary art. The exhibition will remain until the 3rd of next month. where it is worth mentioning that they are landscapes realized directly in the country. "Drawings taken from nature and then naturally realized in the studio and printmaking laboratories, while the next cycle are abstract, formalist compositions realized in woodcut and drypoint on copper. These are works done in the last few days", says the painter. In his graphics, Bertrand Shijaku treats the beautiful landscape of the villages of the Albanian coast, the bright contrast of the landscapes of these areas, etc., also in the cycle of abstract or formalist compositions, he brings new ideas on contemporary art. The exhibition will remain until the 3rd of next month. while the next cycle is abstract, formalist compositions realized in woodcut and drypoint on copper. These are works done in the last few days", says the painter. In his graphics, Bertrand Shijaku treats the beautiful landscape of the villages of the Albanian coast, the bright contrast of the landscapes of these areas, etc., also in the cycle of abstract or formalist compositions, he brings new ideas on contemporary art. The exhibition will remain until the 3rd of next month. while the next cycle is abstract, formalist compositions realized in woodcut and drypoint on copper. These are works done in the last few days", says the painter. In his graphics, Bertrand Shijaku treats the beautiful landscape of the villages of the Albanian coast, the bright contrast of the landscapes of these areas, etc., also in the cycle of abstract or formalist compositions, he brings new ideas on contemporary art. The exhibition will remain until the 3rd of next month. also in the cycle of abstract or formalist compositions, he brings new ideas on contemporary art. The exhibition will remain until the 3rd of next month. also in the cycle of abstract or formalist compositions, he brings new ideas on contemporary art. The exhibition will remain until the 3rd of next month.