THE PRESENT PAST
Artist and Curator: Kristian Zara
13.04.2024
This exhibition is part of Culture for Sustainable Development: The Untapped Potential; Funded by EU in the framework of EU4CULTURE project. Credits to Tek Bunkeri Tirana (NGO).
Biography
Kristian Zara was born in Elbasan in 1986 and went to Onufri Art High School from 2000 to 2004 to learn drawing and painting.
In 2005, he moved in Athens, Greece. In 2006, he won the competition exam to study at the Athens School of Fine Arts. During his five years there, he explored painting, sculpture, stage design, and photography. He also got into Art and Psychoanalysis Class, which influenced his art.
Kristian finished his studies in Athens in 2011 and moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2014. He worked as a sculptor’s assistant for six months and helped organize the Syn Festival Edinburgh until 2017.
In 2016-2017, he did a Master’s at the University of Dundee in Scotland, focusing on artistic practices, writing, curation, and self-analysis.
He came back to Albania in 2018 and spent three years deepening his art exploration in Elbasan. In April 2023, Kristian joined Tek Bunkeri as a project coordinator and artist.
Besides his art, Kristian is interested in theater, poetry, video art, human trauma, and social issues. He doesn’t just do his own exhibitions; he also organizes shows for young artists, workshops, and works on the visual aspects of theater and film.
Statement
I embrace the synthesis of creation and self-discovery. Beyond verbal expression, I see words as integral to each artwork’s essence.
Central to my creative process is a deep reverence for creation, involving analytical enquiry and philosophical exploration, culminating in a formal interpretation that breathes life into every piece.
As both observer and creator, I leverage the human figure not merely as a tool, but as a potent visual language of emotions, phycological analysis, hidden forms and inner states, and artistic perspectives.
My artworks, beyond mere aesthetics, serve as transformative portals, inviting viewers to a profound encounter with their true selves. They are doors unlocking pathways to self-awareness and the rediscovery of our spiritual essence.