Tirana Biennale Press release

[epistolaris at freemail.hu]

From: "edi" <ediqnk at albmail.com>

?U-TOPOS?
TIRANA BIENNALE 2, THE BIGGEST CONTEMPORARY ART EVENT IN ALBANIA AND THE BALKANS
 
www.tiranabiennale.org
 
 
On September 12th 2003, the second edition of Tirana Biennale, the biggest contemporary art event in Albania and the Balkans, will be opened. This is a common effort of the Tirana Biennale Institute and the Municipality of  Tirana, and its Mayor Mr. Edi Rama that aims at continuing through the difficult but very important path initiated two years ago, bringing Tirana and Albania on the international cultural constellation.
 
The first Tirana Biennale succeeded in bringing together as diverse a show in drives and energy as the city itself, and in creating an atmosphere of communication and cooperation between artists, curators, the city and its people, the likes of which are rarely witnessed in contemporary art events, while reaching the largest local public (nearly 20,000 people) an art event has ever reached, during its time span of one month and a half.
 
Tirana Biennale 2 is going to present a different perspective from the first one, while witnessing at the same time its continuation, stressing out the vital importance of this continuity. Tirana Biennale 2 is coming as a result of a pure internal urge of an expanding young artistic scene that wants to communicate with the larger international art world.
 
Structured around the theme of the ?U-Topos?, the Tirana Biennale 2 shall bring over in the country more than 100 artists from all over the world, as well as a large number of art professionals: curators, art critics, experts, journalists, and for sure a lot of art lovers that shall be stimulated not only by the show itself, but also by engaging on a different trip, in a country that is growing, rich of cultural tradition and beautiful nature, yet not known. Many of the participating artists have been invited to realize their works in Tirana, in close connection to the Albanian context and its reality. The Biennale shall also offer a series of public works and interventions by a number of artists, whose works shall remain with the city and continue in the future, turning Tirana in one of the few cities with direct artist?s interventions on its buildings, facades, and public spaces, prompting thus a larger involvement between art and public.
 
 
 
 
 
Albania shall appear again thus within the world landscape of contemporary art, while being at its disposal, until the world appreciates a new, different and positive image of the country.
 
Don?t loose this unique opportunity to experience a new energy, an emerging country and a fast developing art scene, join us and enjoy.
 
Tirana Biennale 2 shall last from September 13th till October 25th, 2003.
 
ARTISTS LIST
http://www.tiranabiennale.org/html/artist.htm