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This unique place, at once a museum and private art gallery, is located in Kavaja Street, one of the most characteristic and historic streets of the capital.
Mezuraj Museum came to be more than 13 years ago as a result of Eduard Mezuraj’s vision of the first private museum in the country. As it did in its very beginnings, Mezuraj Museum still breathes new life into the sphere of fine arts in Albania. Today, it is one of the country’s most remarkable contemporary art spaces, containing a rich collection of thousands of artworks and archaeological findings.
Within the 600 square meter-space, works form the most prominent and up-and-coming Albanian artists invite you on a journey of memorable colors, styles and themes. While the collection includes the most established names in Albanian art, such as Kolë Idromeno, Simon Rrota, Gazmend Leka, Nestor Jonuzi, and Hasan Nallbani, among others, the most comprehensive exhibits belong to contemporary artists Artur Muharremi, Helidon Haliti, and Ismail Lulani. According to art critic Sasha Grishin, Mezuraj Museum is “a compelling collection of contemporary artwork and ancient Albanian objects.”
A native of Pogradec, Artur Muharremi’s extensive collection of paintings testifies to a long and exclusive partnership between the artist and the museum, a relationship that began back in 2005. His works are divided according to Muharremi’s specific thematic styles. Here, the visitor will come across each one of his very distinct collections including the realist series, the metaphysical series, the clown series, the mannequin series, the series of time as well as some of the artist’s favorite nudes, and more.
According to art scholar Moikom Zeqo, Muharremi, through his painting, has effectively “created an anthropological world of his very own mental visions and structures.” Zeqo further considers Muharremi “a prominent artist who sits at the center of the Albanian art sphere, right next to the most ambitious national talents.”
The Mezuraj-Muharremi partnership also marked the creation of the very first partnership between a privately-owned art institution and a professional painter. For more information on Muharremi, his bio and a digital collection of his paintings, click here.
Another quite well-known painter whose works are displayed in the museum is Haliti, immediately recognizable by his themes and colors inspired by the local landscape and its traditions. Resultantly, the audience feels and instant familiarity when standing in front of the landscapes, portraits or legends represented in his paintings.
Haliti’s paintings are prominent works in the Mezuraj Museum and definite must-sees. In addition, they are also displayed in various international private collections. For more information on this particular painter and his work, visit the museum’s official website by clicking here.
The museum also includes a rich archive of works by one of the most prominent Albanian painters of the 20th century, Ismail Lulani. Lulani is particularly well-known for exploring the many genres of painting, including portraits, landscapes, and still lifes, among others. Exhibited in the museum you will find some of his most popular paintings such as “Girl of the Waves”, “Portrait of a Girl” and “The Will of the Moon.”
Alongside contemporary artists, the museum also includes numerous renowned names of Albanian painting from the beginning of the 20th century.
The museum also includes a pavilion entirely dedicated to the display of archaeological findings. In it, the visitor will find prehistoric objects, amphorae and ceramic collections, a collection of tools made from wood or stone, weapons, bronze vessels, and dozens of other artifacts.