Artist Iva Lulashi will represent Albania at the 60th edition of the International Art Biennale in Venice. The news was announced by Minister Blendi Gonxhja through a post on social networks, adding that the Ministry of Economy, Culture, and Innovation enabled the project “Love as a Glass of Water”.
The Venice Biennale is one of the largest artistic events on the international stage.
Albania’s representative, Iva Lulashi, is an artist who explores daring terrains and has built her career between Albania and Italy.
Lulashi’s project in the Albanian pavilion will be curated by Italian critic Antonio Grulli.
Iva Lulashi was born in Albania (1988), but graduated in Venice (2016).
“Through her art, Iva Lulashi invites us to see love and instinct as a universal language, the primary force that connects humans to the world. Let us support our artist on this brilliant journey on the international stage,” wrote Minister Gonxhja.
The main theme of this edition of the Venice Biennale, April 20 – November 24, is “Foreigners Everywhere” and is under the artistic direction of Brazilian curator Adriano Pedrosa.
The theme that the Albanian pavilion will address is inspired by the theory of the “glass of water”, which belongs to the pre-revolutionary period in Russia and is linked to the revolutionary feminist thinker Alexandra Kollontai (1872–1952). It’s about a theory related to the idea of sexual revolution, where impulses are seen as a simple human need that should be fulfilled as easily as drinking a glass of water. With a significant influence in Russian artistic and literary circles, these ideas began to be hindered and suppressed by the revolutionary political apparatus.
“Although the metaphor of the water glass is related to the ease of drinking, we should not forget that water is that vital element, just like love. And it is absurd that themes like love and sexual desire occupy a very small part in the art produced today and they are never at the center of major or minor activities, as if they were taboo, or as easy issues, not worthy of attention,” expressed curator Antonio Grulli.
