The competition “Sotiri” for young photographers (Korçë, May, 15- June, 5 2008)

Winner: Itsasne Casas from Belgium

The first edition of “Sotiri”, a competition for young photographers, opened its doors in Korce, on May, 15 2008. The “Guri Madhi” gallery, at the center of the city, an interesting space, which has welcomed for decades traditional photographic exhibitions, this time, received a contemporary, exhibitional concept: 60 photographs of 19 young authors from Austria, Belgium, Greece, Netherlands, Singapore, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Finland, Kosovo, Georgia and Albania, bore the curatorial concept “Save this / Ruaje kete”, which called a discussion about facts and history, bringing the artist’s perceptions on what is happening  in the center and margins of the human attention. This event brought with it sensibilities documented in pictures, which enlightened the artist’s realities through the personal language of each of them.

This initiation of the Cultural Center Lindart landed in Korce to honor the name of Kristaq Sotiri, the tradition photographer, whose creativity was prepared an illustrated material from his niece, for the panel discussion organized on May, 16, at the private Museum of Oriental Art, which holds the name of another photographer: Dhimiter Mborja, or as it is known: Bratko. The international exhibition for young photographers, which gives the a prize with the “Sotiri” name, was qualified as an exhibition of contemporary art which brought a lot of interest to at art loving public of Korce.

The competition jury consisted of three members: Eva Brunner Szabo, an Austrian artist and photographer, Albes Fusha, photographer, photography professor at the Academy of Arts in Tirana and Gentian Shkurti, artist, assistant-professor at the conceptual art atelier in the Academy of Arts in Tirana. The jury took the decision to give the first prize to the Belgium artist Itsasne Casas, for the photographic project “Solitude/ Vetmi”, a very personal journey of images, which shows the sensibilities and perspectives of the artist, documenting space that relate closely to her life experiences.

All the way through the promotion of the tradition and heritage values, the Korce’s Mayer Mr.Niko Peleshi welcomed and supported with admiration this youth activity.

The activity was supported also from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sport, the Austrian cultural organization Kulturkontakt and from SCP.  

The artists taking part in the first edition of “Sotiri” competition were:
Alban Nuhiu, Bevis Fusha, Brilanta Kadillari, Evangelia Zotou, Francois Pedneault, Itsasne Casas, Jasmin Brutus, Justyna Mielnikewicz, Lori Polena, Mark Nozeman, Mirel Myftaraj, Ornela  Muka, Päivi Paakinaho, Pavel Prokopchik, Sibel Pipa, Sonilda Bardhoshi, Suela Qoshja, Tomislav Georgiev, Zhuang Wubin.

Konkursi i fotografëve të rinj ‘Sotiri’ (Korçë, 15 maj – 5 qershor 2008)

Fituese: Itsasne Casas nga Belgjika

Edicioni i pare i konkursit  per fotografe te rinj “Sotiri” hapi dyert ne Korce me 15 maj 2008. Galeria ‘Guri Madhi’ ne qender te qytetit, nje hapesire shume interesante, e cila ka mirepritur per vite me radhe ekspozita tradicionale pikture, kete here ka pritur nje koncept bashkekohor ekspozimi: 60 fotografi te 19 autoreve te rinj nga: Austria, Belgjika, Greqia, Hollanda, Sinagapori, Maqedonia, Bosnje-Hercegovina, Finlanda, Kosova, Gjeorgja dhe Shqiperia veshen konceptin kuratorial “Save this / Ruaje kete“, i cili ftonte per nje bashkebisedim mes fakteve dhe historise, per te sjelle perceptime te artisteve mbi ate qe ndodh ne qender dhe periferi te vemendjes njerezore. Kjo ngjarje solli bashke ndjeshmeri te dokumetuara ne foto, qe tregonin per te vertetat e artisteve nepermjet  gjuhes personale te secilit.

Kjo sipermarrje e Qendres Kulturore Lindart zbriti ne Korçe per te nderuar emrin e Kristaq Sotirit, fotografit te tradites, per krijimtarine e te cilit mbesa e tij kishte pergatitur nje material te ilustruar per panelin e organzuar ne daten 16 maj ne muzeun privat te Artit Oriental, qe mban emrin e nje fotografi tjeter: Dhimiter Mborja, ose si njihet: Bratko. Ekspozita e nderkombetare e fotografeve te rinj, qe jep nje çmim me emrin e Sotirit, u cilesua si nje ekspozite arti bashkohor dhe ngjalli  shume interes te publiku art dashes i Korces.

Juria e konkursit, e perbere nga: Eva Bruner Szabo, artiste dhe fotografe austriake, Albes Fusha, fotograf, pedagog i fotografise ne Akademine e Arteve ne Tirane dhe Gentian Shkurti, artist, as- pedagog ne ateliene e artit konceptual te Akademise se Arteve ne Tirane, vendosi t’i jape Çmimin e pare artistes belge Itsasne Casas, per projektin fotografik: “Solitude/ Vetmi”, nje rrugetim shume personal imazhesh, qe tregojne per ndejsite e qendrimet e artistes, duke dokumentuar hapesira qe lidhen ngushte me eksperincat e saj jetesore.

Ne vazhden e promovimit te vlerave te trashgimise dhe tradites, Bashkia Korce dhe vecanerishte kryetari i saj Z.Niko Peleshi mikpriten dhe mbeshteten me dashamiresi te kete veprimtari te rinjesh, te organizuar nga te rinj.

Aktiviteti u mbeshtet edhe nga Ministria e Turizmit, Kultures, Rinise dhe Sporteve, nga KulturKontakt Austria dhe nga SCP.

Artistët pjesëmarrës në konkursin e fotografëve të rinj ‘Sotiri’, edicioni I:
Alban Nuhiu, Bevis Fusha, Brilanta Kadillari, Evangelia Zotou, Francois Pedneault, Itsasne Casas, Jasmin Brutus, Justyna Mielnikewicz, Lori Polena, Mark Nozeman, Mirel Myftaraj, Ornela  Muka, Päivi Paakinaho, Pavel Prokopchik, Sibel Pipa, Sonilda Bardhoshi, Suela Qoshja, Tomislav Georgiev, Zhuang Wubin.