Marubi Museum, Albanian Telegraphic Agency, and Center for Art Studies join forces for Albanian Photography Anthology

The National Museum of Photography “Marubi,” the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATSH), and the Center for Art Studies signed a collaboration agreement today, March 5th, focusing on the history of Albanian photography.

The agreement was signed at the Academy of Sciences of Albania by the leaders of the respective institutions: Dr. Luçjan Bedeni, Valbona Zhupa, and Acad. Assoc. Stefan Çapaliku. This partnership aims to develop the scientific project “Anthology of Albanian Photography,” initiated by the “Marubi” Museum to promote the preservation of Albanian photographic heritage.

Key role of archives in shaping Albanian photography

Acad. Assoc. Stefan Çapaliku, Head of the Center for Art Studies, emphasized the significance of the project, acknowledging that photography had not received the academic focus it deserves. He expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration with Dr. Bedeni on the first-ever retrospective anthology of Albanian photography, highlighting the importance of archival resources.

“The largest archive of Albanian photography is housed at the ‘Marubi’ Museum in Shkodër, but ATSH also possesses a substantial archive. These two, along with others from our research, will help us complete this significant work in the next two years,” Çapaliku said.

A vital collaboration for documenting history

Dr. Luçjan Bedeni, Director of the “Marubi” Museum, clarified that the collaboration with ATSH is not coincidental, but stems from previous cooperation. He underscored the importance of ATSH’s archive, which documents the history of Albanian socialist realism from 1953 to the 1990s and beyond.

“When we begin working on the history of photography, it’s important to address the missing pieces that even ‘Marubi’ lacked. If basic information was missing about its own photographers, imagine what happened with other authors who have yet to be researched,” Dr. Bedeni noted.

ATSH’s contribution to the anthology and digitalization efforts

Valbona Zhupa, Director-General of ATSH, acknowledged that while the anthology is long overdue, it will serve to bring back into memory the names of Albanian photographers and the value of their work. ATSH, Albania’s only official news agency since 1912, holds an extensive archive of over 260,000 photos and negatives, currently undergoing digitalization. This initiative is expected to be invaluable for researchers, historians, and even tourists who wish to explore the socialist realism era.

“I am pleased that this anthology will recall the names of photographers, some of whom have passed, but whose work is preserved in our archive. ATSH will play a crucial role in promoting the study of photography and presenting an authentic narrative for both present and future generations,” Zhupa said.

Future steps for the “Anthology of Albanian Photography”

As part of the project, visits and meetings will be organized with institutions holding photographic archives to research appropriate images for the anthology. Joint meetings will also be held to discuss the structure and content of the publication. Additionally, open public discussions will be organized to promote the project and raise awareness about the history of Albanian photography.