Art and Digital Media

This paper will focus on my artistic process in creating works that show circumstances in which people are alienated from their surroundings. It will discuss works from my oeuvre that explore questions involving identity and the status of the outsider, as well as how ordinary practices from everyday life, critique of the cynicism of the art world and memories from my personal background have all become recurring subjects within my work. The paper will also discuss how my process has increasingly been focusing more on the works on paper, tapestries, mosaics and paintings. As well as it will discuss the research process used to explore outsider artists, folk art, naive oriented painters and their engagement with different handmade materials such as blankets, carpets, glasses, wood etc.

Found objects in contemporary art practice is still visible in the art world.

How does the viewers react to recognized object with historical references, especially with political background.

The Arte Povera served this idea of recycling the existing materials and use them in conceptual context.

From the past conflict in Kosovo, the fossils of ex Yugoslavia still remains and opens nostalgic reaction.

How does art works in this case?

Cultural heritage by one definition I like to use is everything that is created by the hand and mind of man in the past. It has been transmitted to us today in various forms. The material heritage is deposited in the cultural layers that we find underground as well as the architectural heritage that is still found today in fragmented or complete form, underground or above ground. The spiritual and the movable heritage have been passed down from generation to generation. Cultural landscapes expect to be remembered in our memory and to be protected. In our country, cultural heritage is categorized and protected by law. Its categories are: Architectural; archaeological; movable; Immovable heritage and Cultural Landscapes. The Kosovo region is one of the richest regions with a diverse cultural heritage ranging from early prehistory starting from the Mesolithic, Neolithic in continuity until today. Today we need to promote heritage in order for future generations to understand the course of civilizations and in this regard the best promotion can be made by digital media. They are inevitable both in raising public awareness, promoting and protecting of the cultural heritage.

The work aims to present through pictures the emotions which have evolved over time starting from the birth. The first hug embracing comes from the mother when she brings the child to life, then the family, the first love and continuing to embrace society. Through the signs we use either consciously or unconsciously they speak a lot about the emotion we have towards the person who is in front of us who is an inward source of feelings that is often uncontrollable. The message conveyed through the paintings will show a comfort and balance of the nervous system, relaxation of the spiritual comfort that a hug can offer, all that positive energy will be presented through the illustration through the paintings that I have worked on this topic

The Republic of Kosovo participated for the fourth time in the 58th Venice Biennale with the voluminous individual exhibition of the new work by Alban Muja. For the Kosovo Pavilion named 'Family Album', which is also the last edition of the Venice Biennale, Muja presented a new video installation that digs deep into the personal and collective memory from the Kosovo War (1998-1999) taking on question the role of images and media in constructing and shaping narrative, identity and history, especially in times of conflict. This project as well as the almost one year experience of the realization of this project, in the most important art event in the world, will be presented and discussed by the author of the project, the lecturer Alban Muja.

Visual appearance — The soil is laid on the gallery floor in a deliberately well-cured and well- pressed way, so that it is visually almost perfect from corner to corner. (Nicely pressed into the floor with an almost perfect visual effect) Concept: Root rot is a disease that attacks the roots of trees that grow in damp or wet soil. This disease shortens the life of almost any kind of tree or plant. By moving the soil from the natural outdoor environment to which it belongs, in an internal and artificial one, it limits the oxygen it needs. In this case the decay occurs slowly but surely. It starts with a strong and unpleasant smell and the indoors environment begins to suffocate the inhabitants. This exhibition invites the visitor to reflect the contradictions between sensation and general insensitivity in today’s society. In the midst of poverty, daily politics, corruption, war crimes and the global pandemic, the roots of the society begin to resemble a similar sort of decay. The heavy smell of the decay is increasingly affecting the surroundings, each and every day there is a slow but certain slow loss of patience, safety and mental health.

Contemporary art is current and the future, our gallery encapsulates a space that highlights and pioneers contemporary art and curators in the heart and center of Prishtina. Its a breath of fresh air for Kosovo that provokes thought, shifts the idea of tradition and encourages innovation in all dimensions and art forms. The gallery simulates, motivates and heartens those who create and those who appreciate and take inspiration and joy from creations and creating. We present a raw and modern take on education, innovation, exhibition and all that is art. Paper Gallery designed its program quarterly -individual and collective creativity will be facilitated every three months. By avoiding the idea of a traditional gallery space, which can sometimes be overwhelmed with the large number of exhibitions- as if to fill the gaps, we are also keeping the balance. The artists will be invited to engage directly with the exhibition space, in the variety of art forms that are explored today. The three-year program, where we will collaborate closely with the international galleries and curators.Space is currently establishing international relationship with international art communities, we believe that art does not recognize borders but only brings people together.

In modern times today the most powerful documentation and most reliable material evidence is often the photograph. Although it underwent many changes over time, it remains to this day impassable as a means of documentation which occupies space from family albums to archives. It talks about our cultural past, our heritage, our way of life, including design, architecture, especially clothing, which has been thrown out of use and in many cases is the only proof we have left from the past. Since all of these are part of our rich cultural heritage the picture is the one that best, most easily and clearly promotes it directly. Photography itself is art and art is heritage, through it our continuity can be strongly connected.