Addressing the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Prime Minister Edi Rama highly praised painter Luca’s talent and contribution to contribution to the contemporary history of Albanian visual arts.

“You are one of those who give the contemporary history of Albanian visual arts something without which history would be poorer,” Rama said in his remarks.

The exhibition is open to public from November 2 through December 30, 2023.

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Good evening and welcome everyone!

I am very pleased that we have come together to open this retrospective exhibition by Bujar.

The exhibition is an idea that came up when we were together in Paris and Bujar gladly accepted the invitation to consider staging such an exhibition, yet I didn’t think that he would display here works from his entire collection, and indeed, some artworks he has painted several years ago are on display in this very small hall and it is about works Bujar used to create when still in his old Tirana house with the well and hackberry trees, the very place where we happen to meet before the dictatorship collapsed during the very first visit by a foreign delegation to the then Academy of Fine Arts and the delegation included the renowned editor-in-chief of the art magazine “Connaissance des Arts”, who wrote a feature story about all our creations back then and became the first contact point with the world of art beyond the walls within which we pursued our activity.

Bujar stood loyal to something I actually found hard to verbalize, but Bujar  put it in words, when he said the reality of my ideal, and I believe that in a way his works are his spiritual self-portraits, which speak volumes about what Bujar is in relation to the mirror and in relation to the environment or the world.

Bujar has naturally positioned himself in a highly respectable position and has been frequently called to cooperate and contribute to a significant number of shows staged at Garnier opera, the new temple of opera songs and arias in Paris or other shows that feature both classical and contemporary music, cooperating with leading directors, including the director and choreographer Angjelin Preljocaj.

And I would like to really sincerely thank Bujar.

I would like to thank him for his investment in time, energies and for seriously and profoundly thinking about this exhibition and he has also done hard physical work, as he has packaged and transported all these works without receiving any payment from the government. He is far from being a government or court artist as in fact many or almost all of those who exhibit here are and I would like to see many more come here, even to stage anti-government protests here and they will get the rent-free hall.

Bujar, many compliments and many thanks, and believe me it is not a kind word for a friend here, in this space, who needs to be told some nice words, but it is a very sincere word and I truly believe all that I am saying and you are one of those who give the contemporary history of Albanian visual arts something without which this history would have been poorer.

Thank you so much!

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The prime minister shared a video message on social media, where he appreciated that, “The new Fish City is another exemplary work of Gjergj Luca and a great gateway that is bringing a lot of visitors and tourists to Maliq”.

Luca has built his Fish City on the ruins of the former Sugar Plant as a production and processing place of the fish offering employment, well-being and hope opportunities.

“It’s so easy for me to believe that you’re going to build the electric train here that will connect Maliq’s Fish City with the ‘Pheasant Forest’. I am looking forward to see you pick up the tourists by train and take them to eat pheasants’ meat. You can make fun of the working man, Luca, but the important thing is that the caravan moves forward”, said Rama./m.m/r.e/p.s./

She started her artistic career as a ballerina on the stage of the Opera and Ballet Theater where she performed from 1951 to 1962, distinguished for her talent and physical abilities.

After meeting her husband Ndrek Luca, an exceptional actor also for the interpretation of characters and artistic figures, Mimika dedicated herself with love to the dramatic art and she was rather successful in her performances.

In 1962, Mimika became part of the People’s Theater troupe.

During her career in the theater, Mimika Luca performed in about 30 roles. Mimika Luca also performed in many feature films such as “The train leaves at five to seven”, “Tale from the past”, “In our home”, “Our friend Tili” and many others.

In 1977, she was also appointed as a lecturer at the “Higher Institute of Arts”, Drama branch.

Prime Minister Edi Rama sent a message of condolence on the death of actress Mimika Luca.

“Farewell, dear Mimika, you have already embraced Ndrek and this will make Gjergji (son) stronger, I hope,” said Rama.

Minister of Culture Elva Margariti wrote in a post on social networks that: “With a natural simplicity and depth, she managed to create a rich gallery of characters. Young generations have a lot to learn from the legacy she has left in Albanian cinematography”.

On his part, Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj wrote, “Sad about the death of actress Mimika Luca, an icon of the National Theater and Albanian cinematography”./p.s./

Addressing a presentation event of the candidates for the Socialist Party at the April 25 general elections, the government head noted that the country has been transformed and a lot of things have changed since the 90s except the old political establishment.

“We just witnessed it here in Elbasan. Just imagine if the one who punched a renowned big entrepreneur here in Elbasan, a job creator here in Elbasan, namely Gjergj Luca, were to be one of us, the boys and men around this table. Imagine how many emails would have been forwarded, how many phone calls and rivers of dirt would have been sent to Europe and how many of them would have raised the outcry,” Rama said.

However – he went on to say – desperate people resort to desperate actions and they are growing increasingly desperate as they figure out they stand no chance.

/u.sh/