[artinfo] Artist Edi Rama is officially Prime Minister of Albania

[newsletter at flashartonline.com]

Artist Edi Rama is officially Prime Minister of Albania

Let's hope that Tirana will now become a world capital for art, with 
studios and low-cost housing for artists, critics and gallerists from 
around the world.

  After an overwhelming victory with an absolute majority, artist Edi 
Rama is the new Prime Minister of Albania. With an aggressive, 
intelligent and very motivated election campaign, Edi Rama, who had 
already flirted with success in previous elections, has this time 
out-matched his opponent, gaining an absolute majority.

  We wish our friend Edi all the best, especially during this 
economically precarious time. But apparently Albania is one of the 
few European countries experiencing growth. We therefore ask our 
longtime friend, who yesterday morning, by telephone, confirmed his 
overwhelming victory, to make Tirana a capital of the European art 
world. Edi, who over a decade ago, as the mayor of Tirana, 
transformed the gray city into a festive multi-hued landscape. A 
painter himself, he had the facades of Tirana's buildings painted a 
variety of colors; this metamorphosis also became a video produced in 
conjunction with Anri Sala-his fellow student and artistic 
colleague-that was first shown at the Venice Biennale in 2003.

  Artist Edi Rama, now Prime Minister of Albania, still loves art and 
always considers himself an artist (in January this year, with Anri 
Sala, he opened a beautiful exhibition at Rudiger Schoettle in 
Munich). We ask him, because we know that it is possible, to 
transform an area of Tirana into an affordable neighborhood where 
creativity can be fostered, where artists, critics, curators and 
gallery owners can live and build a sustainable community, creating 
galleries, nonprofit spaces and open studios. In short, a haven for 
artists and art lovers who want to experience art, its problems and 
contradictions. Like Berlin, except in a sunny Mediterranean climate.

We know that Edi Rama would like to do this. And more importantly, he can.

   
Giancarlo Politi
giancarlo.politi at tin.it