The National Gallery of Kosovo (NGK; ), formerly known as the Kosova National Art Gallery (KNAG; ), is an art gallery situated at the University of Pristina Campus that focuses on 20th-century art.
Previous exhibits have included the International Exhibition of Photography "Gjon Mili" and the "Muslim Mulliqi" International Contemporary Art Exhibition.
The Kosovo National Gallery has published books, catalogues, brochures and two monographs: "Kosova Contemporary Art" and "Kosova Feniks".
History
Early usage The Kosova National Art Gallery was built in 1935 using stone bricks as a military barracks building of the Yugoslavian Army. From 1955–1981 it operated as a library, and from 1982-1983, it was adapted into an exhibition hall by the architect Agush Beqiri, to be used by the Revolutionary Museum. It was officially adapted into what is now the Kosova National Art Gallery in 1995.
Foundation The Kosova National Art Gallery was established in 1979 as a cultural institution to present visual arts, and to preserve and collect valuable works of art. It is named after the Kosovar artist, Muslim Mulliqi. The Gallery was established as a way to visually present Kosovar culture, as the only art institutions before it were the Art High School in Pejë in 1949, the Higher Pedagogical School in Pristina, and the Academy of Arts (founded in 1973). Nearly 500 of them are currently active in the fields of painting, sculpture, graphic and applicative arts.
Kosovar art remained relatively unknown internationally due to political restrictions that limited opportunities for artists to exhibit in formal galleries. Despite these restrictions, Kosovar artists found alternative means to showcase their work. However, during the Kosovo War, many studios were burned down and many artworks were lost.
Until 1990, Kosovar artists presented their art in centres around the world. They were notable because of their distinct approach to the arts, owing to the economic and social circumstances in which they were created.
In the decade following the war, the Kosovo Art Gallery organized more than 200 collective and individual exhibitions from national as well as international artists. Thousands of artists have exhibited their works, which were visited by hundreds of thousands of art lovers.
Architecture The Kosova National Art Gallery's facade was made from stone from the area of Pejë, which gave it an appearance distinct from the surrounding architexture. The building where the gallery is currently situated was once the seat of the museum of the 1941–1945 war.
Muslim Mulliqi Muslim Mulliqi was one of the first and most important impressionist and expressionist painters of Kosovo and Albania. He was born into a family of artists in Gjakova in 1934. He attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade, studying under the well-known Serbian artist Zora Petrović. He finished his postgraduate studies by the same professor in 1961.
Mulliqi was a professor at the Faculty of Arts in the University of Pristina. He acted as founder and vice-president of the Academy of Sciences of Kosovo. He died in Pristina in 1998.
Mulliqi exhibited his artwork in Kosovo, Poland, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Norway, Finland, India, Canada, and Egypt.
His artwork has been used on stamps by the Kosova Postal Service.
Cooperation As a result of cooperation between the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports of Pristina, which is charge of the Gallery, and international institutions, the Gallery has hosted numerous guests from Albania and other neighboring states.
Many Serbian, Montenegrin, and Turkish artists also contributed to the development of Kosovar visual art. Vlada Radović, Milorad-Musa Miketić, Veljko Radović, and Svetozar Kamenović are notable for enabling other creative generations through their pedagogical work. Also noteworthy are the sculptor Svertomir Arsić-Basara, graphic artist Zoran Jovanović, painters Hilmija Qatoviq, Fevzi Tufekci, and Zoran Karalaić, who also worked in the Arts University in Pristina.Kosova Monography pg.569-572 Academy of Science and Arts of Kosova
The Kosova National Art Gallery has created cooperation between: National Gallery of Art of Albania in Tirana European Cultural Parliament, International Committee of Museums and Collections of Modern and Contemporary Art (ICOM) Pavilion of Venice Biennale Kosova Embassy in Washington
Competitions
Artist of Tomorrow Award XI This program was initiated by Wendy W. Luers, founder and director of Foundation for a Civil Society in the United States. This competition is organised in many places of South East Europe, where the ceremonies of the Award traditionally continue. The award in Kosova was first organized in 2002 from the Kosova National Art Gallery in cooperation with the American Embassy.
The winner of the exhibition is rewarded by a six-week residency at the International Curatorial Studios Program in New York. The residency gives the winner an opportunity to build an international professional network.
Originally held in 1991 in Czechoslovakia, this competition started attracting attention from many other countries in Europe. It started in Kosovo in 2002, and is now held in more than ten countries.
This is the only competition of its kind, and gives the winners the chance to create contacts and relations with people in their field.
Anyone under the age of 35 can apply. The winners are chosen by a panel of experts, and all finalists may exhibit their artwork at the KNAG. The prize is a six-week stay in an international studio in New York City as well as a curatorial program, and has been so for eleven years.
Past winners include: 2002 - Tahar Alemdar 2003 - Jakup Ferri 2005 - Kader Muzaqi 2006 - Fitore Isufi-Koja 2007 - Fatmir Mustafa-Carlo 2008 - Bekim Gllogu 2009 - Miranda Thaçi 2010 - Loreta Ukshini 2011 - Astrit Ismaili 2012 - Majlinda Hoxha 2013 - Artan Hajrullahu
Artan Hajrullahu was born in 1979 in Kosovo. He completed his bachelor's and master's degrees at the Faculty of Arts in Pristina, at the Department of Painting. His drawings are delicate and they create a poetic story where human relationships and house objects take an important role. Hajrullahu teaches painting at the Secondary School of Visual Arts in Gjilan.
Gjon Milli Prize Photography Exhibition This biannual exhibition was first held in 2001, as an initiative of the Kosova National Art Gallery and the US Office of the time. Its primary idea was to organize a traditional exhibition as a photography competition which would gather new photographers. Anyone is eligible to enter, with the prize being 1000 Euros. This initiative resulted with the yearly exhibition which has been held since, and has gained a reputation as the most important photography competition not only in Kosovo, but throughout the whole Albanian nation.
The winners so far has been:
2001: Burim Myftiu 2004: Mumin Jashari 2005: Eshref Qahili 2008: Linda Vukaj 2010: Chehalis Hegner 2011: Berat Murina 2012: Jetmir Idrizi 2013: Genc Kadriu
Burim Myftiu is Albanian American Visual Artist. He has received numerous awards and recognitions, and his work is held by major institutions internationally.
Muslim Mulliqi Prize Exhibition The Muslim Mulliqi Prize is the most significant exhibition for contemporary visual arts in Kosovo, held in honor of the pioneer of modern painting Muslim Mulliqi. This aims to be one of the most interesting contemporary art projects in Southern Europe. It has been held since 2002, biannually, and experienced some pauses because of a lack of financial means.
The aim KNAG has given to itself in the latest editions of the Muslim Mulliqi Prize is the provision of the current Albanian visual art. The competition has expanded, including other exhibition spaces such as at the Gallery of the Ministry of Culture and the Amphitheater of the Architecture University.
Each year there are three members of different expertise in the jury, who decide the best work. The prize is 3000 Euros for the best artwork based on criteria assigned each year.
2003 winners: Jakup Ferri, Lulzim Zeqiri; curator: Nafja Zgonik; jury: Gjelosh Gjokaj, Nadja Zgonik, Gëzim Qëndro 2004 winners: Dren Maliqi, Mario Rizzi; curator: Gëzim Qëndro; jury: Eqrem Basha, Joa Ljunberg, Anjali Sen 2005 winners: Alban Hajdinaj, Hyesin Alptekin; curator: Mehmet Behluli; jury: Nikola Dietrich, Sergio Boynik, Gëzim Qëndro 2006 winners: Nebih Muiqi, Ismet Jonuzi; curator: Mustafa Ferizi; jury: Suzana Varvarica Kuka, Agim Salihu, Basri çapriqi 2007 winners: Lumturi Blloshmi, Bekim Gllogu; curator: Suzana Varvarica Chukka; jury: Nadja Zgonik, Gjelosh Gjokai, Ali Podrimja 2008 winners: Jae Pas; curators: D.N.K./FILOART, Zeni Ballazhi; jury: the artists 2009 winners: Antigona Selmani, Loreta Ukshini, Malsore Bejta; curators: Gazmend Ejupi, Michele Robecchi; jury: Albert Heta, Zake Prevlukaj 2010 winners: curator: Fitore Isufi-Koja, Valbona Rexhepi 2012 winners: Abedin Azizi; curator: Galit Eilat, Charles Esche 2014 curator: Corinne Diserens 2016 winner: Fani Zguro; curator: Artan Shabani 2018 winners: Artan Hajrullahu and Valdrin Thaçi; curator: Iara Boubnova
Disciplines and artists Many exhibitions in many galleries around the world, such as Daut Berisha in Paris, the US, Mexico, Mikel Gjokaj in Rome, Brussels, Tirana, and Bahri Drançolli in Munchen, Germany, they have helped spread the knowledge of Kosovar art."Kosova Monography", Academy of Science and Arts of Kosova, pp.572–575.
Artists whose work has been exhibited at the museum include Masar Caka, Tahir Emra, Gjelosh Gjokaj, Ibrahim Kodra, Nimon Lokaj, Muslim Mulliqi, Visar Mulliqi, Ramadan Ramadani, Esat Valla, Sislej Xhafa, Haki Xhakli, Hysni Krasniqi, Musë Prelvukaj, Agim Çavdarbasha and Burim Myftiu.
Transport connections
Service Station/stop Lines/routes served Distancefrom National Gallery Pristina Buses The University of Pristina Campus / Economy Faculty 3A 6 minutes The University of Pristina Campus / Economy Faculty 5 6 minutes The University of Pristina Campus / Economy Faculty 7 6 minutes The University of Pristina Campus / Economy Faculty 7A 6 minutes The University of Pristina Campus / Economy Faculty 10 6 minutes
Exhibitions
Pre-Kosovo War period exhibitions Source:Kosova Feniks, Presentation of 300 Selected Visual Art Works Exhibited at the Kosova Art Gallery [Luan & KADARE, Ismail MULLIQI]
1979–1999 Name of exhibition Visitors 1979 The Kosova National Art Gallery Collection 19,286 1980 Jubilee Exhibition of Shyqri Nimani 12,197 1981 Personal Exhibition of Engjëll Berisha 1981 Personal Exhibition of Simon Shiroka 1981 Tito, the Word, the Thought and the Work 38,000 1981 Retrospective of Odhise Paskali 14,045 1982 The First Salon of Caricature 6,830 1983 The Young Kosovar Artists 9,450 1984 Personal Exhibition of Nebih Muriqi 12,510 1985 The Exhibition of the three Cartoonists N/A 1985 Serbian paintings in the Era of Realism 7,810 1986 The XIII Spring Salon of Kosova N/A 1987 Gjelosh Gjokaj N/A 1988 10 years of Architecture Study N/A 1989 The Book Salon N/A 1990 Bashkim Popoja N/A 1991 Esat Valla N/A 1992 The Kosova Contemporary Art N/A 1999 Kosovo Galgota N/A
Kosovo post-war period exhibitions Source: