The great master of Albanian painting, Sali Shijaku, who died on Saturday, was one of the unique figures of Albanian art, the pioneer of active, figurative painting, contrasting with the Albanian historical decor of the second half of the XNUMXth century. He created artistic values that influenced the modernization of Albanian painting
It was the 50s of the last century when he appeared as a new name in the world of Albanian figurative arts. The artist educated in St. Petersburg, then known under the ideological name Leningrad, would not be long in breaking the rules, opposing the limitations of ideology to open up his fantasy world. And so he would become the star of Albanian art. This is how he was remembered on the day of his death.
The great master of Albanian painting, Sali Shijaku, the "Honour of the nation", died in the early hours of Saturday. He was 89 years old.
He was one of the rare artists who died with a brush in hand. A few days ago, his son was taking pictures of him painting, when he suddenly fell ill.
It was his son, Orges Shijaku, who announced his death.
"It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the loss of our father, the People's Painter, the Honor of the Albanian Nation, Sali Shijaku. Easy to be earth. You dedicated your whole life to art and Albania", wrote his son.
A life for art
Sali Shijaku was born on March 12, 1933, in a well-known Tirana family. Mother Deja took care of the house - inn of the Shijaku family, whose daily job was trade, which was run by father Abdyli. Sali Shijaku began his journey of knowledge at the "Lidhja e Prizren" primary school and then took lessons at the Madrasah of the capital.
In the years 1948-1952, he attended the "Jordan Misja" Artistic High School, where he studied painting with teachers and artists Abdurrahim Buza and Nexhmedin Zajmi. After several years of work, he earned the right to study painting in the Soviet Union, today's Russia. He studied at the Higher Institute of Arts - Ilia Efimiovic Rjepin, in Leningrad. During the period 1956 - 1961, he was a student of the painter and professor Boris Vladimirovich Johanson's studio. With the breakdown of relations between the PKS and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (PKBS), he returned to Albania in 1962. He graduated as one of the first students at the Higher Institute of Arts in Tirana. After graduation, he was employed as a teacher at ILA and became a member of the League of Writers and Artists of Albania.
The painting entitled "Heroes of Vigu" was the diploma of the student Shijaku, which he defended in 1962 in Albania, at the High Institute of Arts in Tirana. He started his artistic creation in the early 60s.
According to critics, he was part of the group of Albanian artists, who treated the compositional picture, mainly with themes from the war, from history, from legends, but also from the actuality of the time. He entered the path of figurative art with his first portraits, such as: "Portret vajze" (1953, National Gallery of Art (GKA), "Costum tiranseje" (1952, GKA), gradually moving from painting to painting towards research in portraits of beauty, psychological depth and decorative and other stains.
As the critics write, the work of the "People's Painter" is characterized by a wide range of themes, which find solutions in different, often unexpected forms. Thus, the picture "Partisans of the battalion - Revenge" (1966), had a strong tendency for the psychological deepening of the characters, which, although with a static attitude, evidenced the spiritual strength and heroism of the time.
"Until the beginning of the 70s, the painter Sali Shijaku was still not separated from the real image, painting with light shadows and nuances. The painting 'Mic Sokoli', 1969, finally 'detached' the artist from this way of painting and created new visions, where monumentalism becomes primary in the chosen character of a cycle of one-figure paintings. The painted figures selected by the painter, even though they have a tragic end, that of sacrifice and self-sacrifice, turn into symbols of worship for the public, of self-sacrifice for the nation ('Mic Sokoli', 1976, 'Nora e Kelmendit', 1981) , of human virtue ('Rozafa', 1983). One of the heroic figures is that of the People's hero, Vojo Kushi, so much so that after 1969, the hero began to be identified with the painter Sali Shijaku for the striking painting of the hero on a tank with a bare chest and a flame-colored shirt," it is written in the biography of his.
Although the painting of the hero on the tank was one of the most popular paintings of the time, the communist leadership viewed the painting with suspicion, as the hero was barefoot.
"A meeting was held for this painting, because I had painted the hero barefoot. It was a gathering, attended by many people. Many asked questions from the hall. The chairman of the commission was a smart man. When he asked me if I had added shoes, I told him that: the barefooters fought the war, not those who wore good shoes. And he closed the file of this case and the painting was not banned", he confessed seven years ago at the press conference for his personal exhibition in 2015. The artist's color palette also underwent changes, which is enriched, tends towards the creation of effects graphic, but also decorative-expressive.
Initiator of modernism
The figure of the artist Sali Shijaku is one of the major figures of the Albanian visual arts. The Albanian state has appreciated and honored the artist's contribution with many awards and awarded him several Republic Awards (1956, 1970, 1984, 1989). In 1969 he received the title "Merited Artist" and in 1979 "People's Painter". In 2004, he was awarded the title "Honor of the District of Tirana".
In the fund of the National Art Gallery, 92 works of the artist in painting and sculpture are preserved, of which 19 drawings, 7 works in ceramics and 1 in plaster. A part of the collection of Shijak's works are exhibited in the main halls of the National Art Gallery in Tirana. The works of Sali Shijaku are located in many countries of the world and today they are part of the collections of collectors inside and outside Albania. He worked as a lecturer for dozens of years until 1991, and exhibited at every national exhibition. Before the 90s, his works were exhibited in Egypt, France, Algeria, Romania, Kosovo, Turkey, Italy and China.
Shijak has been described by researchers as one of the most important Albanian painters of the second half of the 1965th century. He created artistic values that influenced the modernization of Albanian painting from 1980 to XNUMX. Shijaku was a colorist, decorative painter and creator of compositions, an exemplary figure in the Albanian pictorial art of the last quarter of the XNUMXth century.
Shijak's painting, national treasure
The Permanent Commission of Art and Heritage at the Academy of Sciences has expressed its deepest condolences for the passing away of Sali Shijaku, the "People's Painter".
"Our condolences go out to the Shijaku family, the visual artist community, and the many friends and supporters of his visual legacy. The artist Sali Shijaku is the pioneer of active, figurative, contrasting and full of nerve painting against the Albanian historical decor of the second half of the XNUMXth century. His painting, nowadays, is the wealth of colorful and exciting fruits of the decoration of Albanian daily life", the Commission's telegram reads.
In the field of visual arts, his artistic personality is special and distinct. According to the Commission, Sali Shijaku, in the figurative arts, has constantly sought to embody ideo-artistic discoveries and gave his painting of the XNUMXth century a monumental form, evaluating the most important characters, phenomena and events of the time.
After the 90s, Sali Shijaku continued to be persistent in treating and solving aesthetic phenomena during the painting process.
"He created a painting of frontal composition and reflected the historical and martial, social and working, mythological and legendary character, as well as the epic and lyrical hero. In the visual arts, dozens of painting works by the artist Sali Shijaku are key points in the development of the structure of painting and the history of art in our country. His works, exhibited from time to time, become promoters of inspiration on the process of art education to the younger generations. The genuine qualities of the painter Sali Shijaku's art appeared during his studies abroad and his talent exceeded the ordinary", reads the reaction of the Permanent Commission of Art and Heritage at the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Albania. Prime Minister Edi Rama has also reacted to the death of the well-known painter Sali Shijaku. "Farewell to Sali Shijaku", wrote Rama. The Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, expressed his condolences for the death of the painter. In a post on social networks, Veliaj wrote that Shijaku was an icon of Tirana and an exceptional painter. "Very sad about the departure of a unique artist, like Sali Shijaku. He was an icon of Tirana, an extraordinary painter, who dedicated his life to Albanian art. Rest in peace eternal friend of our city! Condolences to the family", said Veliaj.
The former head of the Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha, has expressed his sadness at the news of the painter's death as he has emphasized that Shijak bequeathed to Albanian culture an "incomparable archive of colors and life on canvas".
The chairman of the Freedom Party, former president Ilir Meta, in a post on social networks, recalled the meetings and conversations with him, as he said that the endless gallery of his artistic works and monuments, which exalted national culture and art, will remain unforgettable.
"The famous painting 'Vojo Kushi', by our great painter, the People's Painter, Sali Shijaku, has remained as a legacy for generations as a masterpiece realized with rare skill that embodies in art an unforgettable event of the Anti-Fascist War. With his extraordinary talent, he transformed into art the most epic events of history, the spiritual strength and heroism of the Albanian, the values of love for the homeland, the nation and freedom, as well as a variety of human figures. He created an infinity of magnificent artistic works and monuments, such as his other masterpiece, the Hero of National Freedom, Mic Sokoli. For all these extraordinary values and contributions, the memory of the Honor of the Nation, Sali Shijaku, will remain unforgettable and his artistic heritage will always be highly appreciated", wrote Ilir Meta.
"The artist's vocation is to illuminate the depths of the human soul with light, and today the great master of Albanian painting, Sali Shijaku, is illuminated by the light of heaven", wrote the artist Artan Shabani, former director of the National Gallery.
The tributes in honor of the well-known artist have been organized by the Municipality of Tirana and will take place on Sunday in the lobby of the Opera and Ballet Theatre.