“Killing Time” is the title of the exhibition of artist Adrian Çene, displayed in the premises of the Center for Openness and Dialogue (COD), curated by Vladimir Myrtezai. The artist’s works will be on display for the visitors during the period of July 13th to August 31st, 2021.
This exhibition presents 50 paintings, which were created with different techniques such as watercolor, acrylic and oil. These art pieces were created during the last six years. According to the curator, the works are divided into three parts: the beginnings, the engagement with informal painting and the phase where life fables turn into pretexts for painting and build a more human communication. The only unifying axis is the intention of reviving the ideas of painting as a striking sign full of passion, without academic endeavor, but rather as a destructive spirit that wanders wildly in a restoration of the order of values, which are brought into history’s repetition through artists, reminding us that we have become somewhat excessively scientific and realistic.
The exhibition starts with the work “Self-portrait with the plane (2021)”, located facing the entrance, with a cloud installed next to it, becoming part of it in the space.
Two large paintings are displayed on the wall on the right, which according to the artist’s interpretation specify the end and paradise: End (2018); Stairs to paradise (2018). While crossing this space, the visitor can notice three portrait drawings placed on easels. Also on the wall on the left of the same space, there are three large paintings and two small ones. The following paintings: Who made who (2019); Self-portrait (2015); Self-portrait (2014); The man from the back door (2020); Touch Me (2019) carry in their content human images realized in the technique of oil and acrylic.
Continuing further to the corridor on the left to the COD spaces, a video is projected in a small room, where the images of artist Vladimir Myrtezai (this time as a curator)appear, showing him as a narrator of the story of the author, which contains a part of the curatorial text, describing the journey of finding the position of the artist.
The following works: Reflex of the Hill (2013); Piazza San Marco (2003); Self-portrait (2016); Livadhi (2015); Saranda’s Pier (2015); Kafe Drini (1990) are some of the landscapes chosen from the artist’s archive, realized in the watercolor technique. More of his works: The Lord (2020); The Red Knight (2021); Self-portrait (2020); Self-portrait with cigarette (2021); Self-portrait (2017); Beach (2018); Dhërmi Beach (2017); Gray (2017); Divjaka (2017); Reading at the Sea (2017); Sailor (2019); Nude (2020); Strange Days (2018); Wandering (2018); Far above the hills (2017); Black on Black (2017); This is the way (2020); Beach (2017); Relax (2018); Self-portrait (2019); Self-portrait (2020); How many times (2018), are exposed along the corridor, across the walls of the space.
In the end, in another exit on the right: Love me too (2018); Complete (2018); When the music stops (2020); Hell Bells (2019); Break through (2018); Sad and confused (2018); Shoot in the Dark (2019); The Unforgiven (2020) appear as the concluding works for this exhibition.
Çene’s paintings are characterized by the use of pure and dynamic colors, which take references from the art of fauvism. The general source in his works derives from human figures and images from everyday life, where his self-portrait plays a key role.
*Adrian Çene, was born on February 19, 1969 in Tirana. He graduated from “Jordan Misja” Art Lyceum in 1987 and later in 1992 from the Academy of Arts. He worked at the Institute of Cultural Monuments as a specialist in the restauration of the art of icons and mural painting, from 2003 to 2014. He participated in numerous exhibitions organized by Albanian private galleries, as well as the National Gallery of Arts. Following these achievements, Çene participated in exhibitions of Albanian contemporary art. His paintings were sold in Italy, Belgium, France and Greece. His works are part several important collections, both in Albania and abroad. Çene participated in exhibitions of Albanian contemporary art. Some of his solo exhibitions are: Galeria TE & GI, Tirana (1999); Racine Gallery, Paris (2000); Municipality of Drama, Greece (2000); “RLV ‘Gallery, Brussels (2001);” Montaigne “, Paris (2003); “Chameleon”, Paris (2006); “DIDART “NUDO, Tirana (2006); “DIDART “Jazz in Gray, Tirana (2007); “DIDART” Simple, Tirana (2010); National Gallery of Arts, Tirana (2014); Chameleon Gallery, Paris (2007); Montaigne Gallery, Paris (2003); Racine Gallery, Paris (2002).
