Helidon Xhixha
Refractive Vibes
105 New Bond Street London W1S 1DN Phone +44 (0) 2074955101 www.continiartuk.com info@continiartuk.com
Helidon Xhixha Refractive Vibes 14 March – 31 May 2016 Exhibition Curators Cristian Contini with Dr. Diego Giolitti
Foreword by Richard Cork
Exhibition Catalogue Cristian Contini Andrea Maffioli
Photography Studio Eleven Guzel Photography
Graphic Design & Printing Peruzzo Industrie Grafiche, Mestrino (PD), Italy
Exhibitions Organisation Andrea Maffioli Ulia Rabko Joshua Rowell
Cover Helidon Xhixha, Flash of Light, 2015, Mirror Polished stainless steel, One of a kind, 68 x 126 x 20 cm, 27 x 50 x 8 in
Helidon Xhixha Refractive Vibes
INTRODUCTION BY CRISTIAN CONTINI
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HELIDON XHIXHA: SEARCHING FOR THE PULSE OF VITALITY BY RICHARD CORK
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ARTIST INTERVIEW WITH DR. DIEGO GIOLITTI
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PUBLIC INSTALLATIONS
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ARTWORKS
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APPENDIX
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Helios was the god of the sun, an absolute symbol of what we as humans idealise when we consider elements of light and energy. Evidently fate has not missed such irony. In fact, Xhixha’s works themselves radiate pure energy, both for people such as myself with a strong interest in collecting his sculptures but equally for the uninitiated viewer who becomes suspended in their own introspection when looking upon Xhixha’s Heliosculpture. Sculptures of the sun. With his sculptures Xhixha has been able to make simple shapes incredibly recognisable, in a way that is not merely iconographic but also incredibly perceptive. In the true way of fate, and with our shared passion for art, our lives have been brought together and Helidon and I have become great friends.
Helios era il dio del sole, simbolo assoluto di ciò che noi umani idealizziamo quando pensiamo alla luce, all’energia. Al destino evidentemente non è mancata l’ironia. Infatti le opere di Helidon Xhixha sono energia pura indipendentemente per chi come me lo ha voluto fortemente nella propria collezione o semplicemente per chi, di fronte ad una sua opera, sospende i propri pensieri tra le pieghe delle sue Heliosculture. Sculture di sole. Ha saputo rendere forme semplici incredibilmente riconoscibili non solo in modo iconografico ma soprattutto percettivo. Sempre il destino e l’amore per l’arte ci ha fatti incontrare e diventare grandi amici.
Cristian Contini
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HELIDON XHIXHA: SEARCHING FOR THE PULSE OF VITALITY Richard Cork Last summer, visitors exploring the Venice Biennale were astonished to witness ‘Iceberg’ floating past them along the canals of this vulnerable and beguiling city. But soon enough, surprise gave way to deeper emotions as they realised the full implications of Helidon Xhixha’s provocative sculpture. Although made of stainless steel, its mirror-polished surface was refracted in the Venetian sunlight. The impact of ‘Iceberg’, moving through such an unlikely location, prompted thoughts about a world adrift from its moorings. Although the sculpture was in one sense bulky and rugged, its glinting surface looked strangely elusive as well. After a while ‘Iceberg’ signified the notion of melt-down, inviting everyone to imagine how Venice itself could be overwhelmed all too swiftly by a catastrophic flood. On another level altogether, this fascinating sculpture offers an insight into the peripatetic life of the man who created it. The passage undertaken by ‘Iceberg’ reflects the restless journeying of Xhixha himself. Although born in Albania, he moved across to Italy and then studied in London before graduating from the Brera Academy in Milan. Like Brancusi, who left his native Romania and later described how he walked all the way to Paris, Xhixha was stimulated by moving. He now divides his time between Italy and Dubai while making work for public locations across the world, but his roots will never be forgotten. One of these monumental pieces is now installed in Tirana, outside the Presidential Palace of the Albanian Republic. Like so many of his mature sculptures, ‘Riflessi di storia’ brings steel and light into an energetic, complex and unpredictable conjunction. The polished metal is alive with reflections of the landscape surrounding the Presidential Palace, yet they all look fractured and distorted. It contrasts absolutely with the calm, classical order of the building, and shows Xhixha’s commitment to visual disturbance. The longer we look at these works, the more we realise the strength of his involvement with restlessness. He sees himself as ‘a monumental artist’
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with an urge to explore a sense of vastness ‘as it is the ultimate expression of the human mind and soul.’ But his monumentalism is the very opposite of ponderous grandiosity. ‘The Coil’, an immense stainless steel sculpture which rises up to a height of 1200 cm, turns and twists through space outside the Arvedi Steel Plant in Cremona. It celebrates both the strength and the suppleness of this tough, glinting material which Xhixha often employs. Curving in one direction with resolute confidence, it then dives off sideways and almost dances in the air. ‘The Coil’ does not rely so much on reflections: it is an intensely linear work which proves that drawing also plays an important role in Xhixha’s creative process. But ‘Riflessi dal cielo’, installed in 2012 among flower-beds and trees near the Lombardy Regional Government Building in Milan, shows his enduring readiness to explore a polished mirror surface. The sculpture confronts viewers and makes them very aware of its solid, three-dimensional presence. At the same time, though, it almost bewilders us with a dizzying, ever-shifting cluster of reflections which draws our attention to the paved ground, natural plants, the structure of nearby buildings and the luminous sky far above. The variety of Xhixha’s public sculptures is very striking. Outside the Montanstahl building in Stabio, Switzerland, he erected ‘The Three Monoliths’ in 2008. Close inspection reveals that each of these tall, upright pieces has a distinctive surface quite different from its neighbours. One of them is covered with convex forms which seem to bulge in an almost organic way. Yet the monolith next to it is more suggestive of a steeply ascending rock-face, ancient and weather-worn. In this respect, it offers a dramatic contrast with the third monolith, where Xhixha has ensured that precisely defined minimal forms are displayed all over its vertical structure. During the day, they look predominantly pale grey, whereas at night they are flecked with a surprising range of colours transmitted from the lit-up architecture behind, which also contains a spectacular wallpiece evoking the base of a redoubtable Swiss mountain. Sometimes, Xhixha’s outdoor monuments possess a relatively soothing character. Take a look at the aptly named ‘Luce’, placed in an open-air setting at St Jean Cap Ferrat. Its curving forms mirror the colours of the water and sky, not to mention the palm trees clustered beyond the pool.
‘Luce’, as its name suggests, has a predominantly beneficent character, and ‘Riflessi Lunari’ goes even further in a healing direction. It is installed at Helsina Healthcare SA, at Pazzallo in Swizerland, where its pair of polished steel forms help to welcome patients and their families whose thoughts may well be dominated by the anxiety of illness. Reminiscent of two crescent moons, ‘Riflessi Lunari’ plays its luminous part in a therapeutic context. Even so, it would be a mistake to suppose that most of Xhixha’s work is essentially calm and reassuring. He has become fascinated above all by the challenge of conveying a high-energy charge through the sheets of steel deployed in his work. Obsessed in particular with creating an expressive interplay between convex and concave undulations, he makes them reflect the natural world as well as the high-speed dynamism of modern transport. ‘Waterfalls’, a sculpture taking the form of two monoliths, inhabits the Giuseppe Bussolini Square in Padua, a city where Donatello’s eloquent Renaissance sculpture can be found on the altar of Sant’Antonio church. But ‘Waterfalls’ takes us away from this urban context and evokes the power of water plummeting down a rockencrusted cliff. The word ‘refraction’, which plays such a central role in understanding Xhixha’s vision, helps us understand how light-waves bend when they come into dramatic contact with the mirrored surface of his sculpture. And in ‘Waterfalls’ he is able to evoke the collision of liquid and rock, enhanced at every turn by the light’s incessant action. At the opposite extreme, a sculpture called ‘Lighted Runways’ belongs to the world of high-speed jet travel. Its two rectangular columns occupy an indoor location this time, at Terminal 1 in Milan’s Malpensa Airport. Here, the polished steel forms appear to vibrate with the visual stimulus provided by jets taking off and landing. Often the moments of greatest tension for pilots and passengers alike, both ascent and descent nevertheless provide extraordinary views of a world disappearing and returning. Xhixha’s ‘Lighted Runways’ conveys this frisson of nervous excitement in a very immediate way. Much of the time, though, his work concentrates on references to the natural world. ‘Oceano’, a sculpture installed in Sunny Isles, Florida, possesses a rippling shape evocative of the sea’s incessant motion.
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Xhixha’s treatment of the steel now seems filled with tidal commotion. Viewed close-to, it plunges us into the heart of the ocean and we struggle to discover our whereabouts. But a work called ‘Vela’, which has found a highly appropriate home outside the Yacht Club in Monaco, focuses instead on the action of wind. Its form immediately makes us think of a sail, forever being blown in whatever directions the gales or milder gusts command. Nothing ever stays still in Xhixha’s steel sculpture. He is an artist preoccupied with the inevitability of change, and in ‘Suono d’acciaio’ he is able to evoke the constantly shifting sound of a string instrument. Positioned near the Violin Museum created by Fondazione Stradivari in Cremona, this monumental piece appears to have a musical life of its own. Although resembling a violin, it does not need to rely on a musician. No strings are visible, either. We can imagine ‘Suono d’acciaio’ emitting sounds without any assistance from a violinist. The vivacity of music is summoned to our consciousness solely by Xhixha’s handling of the polished steel, alive with myriad reflections cast by all kinds of organic and structural matter surrounding the sculpture. Although steel is a quintessentially modern material, used by many leading experimental sculptors during the twentieth century, Xhixha has always been aware of the past as well. Some of his recent pieces are now beginning to incorporate Carrara marble. As for the early works in this exhibition, they are far darker and less reflective than his other sculptures. Ominously, the blackened steel is handled with a greater degree of deliberate roughness. Some of them look like survivors from a mysterious, ancient civilisation, almost as if they have been unearthed by archaeologists searching for evidence of cultures long since overwhelmed by hostile forces and the inevitable passage of time. Xhixha’s early sculpture suggests that he began as an artist haunted by the memory of wartime destruction, and keenly aware of the vulnerable isolationism he witnessed in Albania during his childhood. Since then his vision has widened and, as ‘Iceberg’ testified in Venice last year, he views the future of our entire planet with mounting alarm. Hence, no doubt, the constant involvement with splintering, breakage
and fragmentation in his work as a whole. At the same time, however, he refuses to succumb to any kind of despair. A spirit of resilience abounds in his sculpture, suggesting that Xhixha feels determined to combat the ever-present threat of dystopia with an affirmative art. It is a passionate defiance, springing from his search for the pulse of vitality which he wants to uncover and celebrate in so many aspects of existence.
Richard Cork
Richard Cork is an award-winning art critic, historian, broadcaster and curator. Formerly Art Critic of The Evening Standard and Chief Art Critic of The Times, he broadcasts regularly on BBC radio and TV. He was Slade Professor of Fine Art at Cambridge University in 198990, and Henry Moore Senior Fellow at the Courtauld Institute, 1992-5. He has acted as a judge for the Turner Prize and curated major exhibitions at Tate, the Hayward Gallery, the Barbican Art Gallery, the Royal Academy and other European venues. Cork’s many books include a ground-breaking study of Vorticism, awarded the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize in 1977; Art Beyond the Gallery, winner of the Banister Fletcher Award in 1986; a major monograph on David Bomberg, 1987; A Bitter Truth: Avant-Garde Art and the Great War, winner of the Art Fund Award in 1995; Jacob Epstein, 1999; four acclaimed volumes of his critical writings on modern art, 2003; Michael Craig-Martin, 2006; Wild Thing: Epstein, Gaudier-Brzeska, Gill, 2009; The Healing Presence of Art: A History of Western Art in Hospitals, 2012; and Face To Face: Interviews With Artists, published by Tate in 2015. He was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy in 2011.
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The following text is a conversation held between Dr. Diego Giolitti and Helidon Xhixha at the artist’s studio in Novara, Italy. Xhixha discusses his upcoming solo show Refractive Vibes at ContiniArtUK before moving on to a broader discourse regarding his practice and future prospects. ------------------------------(Diego) It is a great pleasure to be here with you in your studio and to have this opportunity to discuss your practice in detail. Can you start by telling us about the upcoming exhibition Refractive Vibes, what can a visitor expect to see? (Helidon) Firstly, let me thank you for the opportunity to be here and to share my thoughts with you. I’d like to start by saying I’m very grateful to Cristian Contini and everyone involved at ContiniArtUK for helping me to realise this exhibition, it is a very exciting chance to show my work in a prestigious central London gallery. This show has become a particularly interesting project for me, it has grown over time into what can now be considered as a mid-career retrospective; something that I have never attempted before. Visitors to the show can expect to see works that span my career to date, Refractive Vibes will take the viewer on a journey from rarely-seen early works, to my more recognisable sculptures of today. The aim is that the viewer can explore the changing ideas and notions behind my works, as well as witnessing the subtle shifts in style and technique over time. Early pieces such as ATOMO present the viewer with a far more visceral experience; using blackened, roughly shaped iron; like dystopian artefacts, they evoke simultaneous feelings of both a primitive past and a broken future. These are a far cry from recent works in which I attempt to operate with refinement and elegance, creating works that harness the transcendent powers of reflection and light. It will be very exciting to see such a comprehensive selection of your works all in one space. I would be interested to learn how you first came to be an artist, perhaps we can start by looking at your background. You are of Albanian origin, yet you received an art education in Italy, what influences have these different backgrounds brought to your practice, how has this merging of cultures affected your work?
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My past, my nationality, my upbringing, my education; naturally, all of these factors are of great importance to me. These are the things that have made me the person I am today, and inform all of my decisions. I am sure that growing up in DurrĂŤs, with its rich history and culture, provided a strong foundation for my artistic inspiration. Also key to this was my upbringing; born into a family of artists I was immersed in that culture from the youngest possible age. My father in particular, being a sculptor himself, helped me to truly understand what it meant to be a creator of objects. However, in my work I try to focus on the contemporary rather than a persistent reference to the past. I am always trying to look ahead, to seek new possibilities, not to spend my time looking back. Of course, my past informs everything I do, but equally I strive to be progressive. We are all defined by our history, but my work does not implicitly represent this, instead my influences and my past indirectly manifest themselves through the decisions I make and ultimately the work that I create. So you are aware of your past without explicitly referencing it in your work. When I look at your practice I see immense forms that are chaotic and beautiful yet separate from any type of visual representation, did you always know you wanted to create such abstract works, or is it something that has evolved over time? Again, going back to my earliest years, studying art in Albania was very limiting. I remember we were only taught to create figurative or graphic art work, it was a long way behind the likes of Western Europe and the States, who were emerging with really exciting new movements in conceptual art and so on. That is why when I came to study at the Brera Academy in Milan it was like a whole new world opened up for me. My entire thought process and approach to my work started to become far more liberated and naturally my practice started to develop into what you see today. Finally, being exposed to modern art, I was given the inspiration and the freedom to really progress my work towards something more contemporary. This expansion in my understanding of art and my own practice grew even further when I was awarded a scholarship to study at Kingston University in London. During my time there I took full advantage of the workshops and managed to develop my skills in casting and sculpting and I never really looked back from that point.
Sculpture took over my practice and I ran with it. Influences from other artists also played a big role in discovering my artistic path. Henry Moore was probably my main influence, this may seem an obvious choice but his works really resonated with me and my understanding of what art could be. The beautiful, bizarre, elegant forms that he created, they appeared sublime to me. They were abstract forms and they were figures at the same time. He represents a changing point in the history of sculpture and has successfully opened up a whole world of new possibilities within the practice, and for that I will always consider him as one of my greatest influences. Another great source of inspiration is Jackson Pollock, perhaps this choice seems more unusual as he is of course a painter. It is not only his dogged determination and passion for his work that inspired me, but it was the rhythmic quality that he achieved through his painting. Within the rapid, frantic movements you can find such elegance, as you just said – both chaotic and beautiful; this is something I have explored in my own work, particularly since I have started working with stainless steel. As a material it has so much potential for distortion and manipulation, without ever losing its inherent elegance.
Your works certainly do have an undeniable elegance; something I have heard you talk about quite often is your work’s relationship to light, another elegant notion. Light was very symbolic during the renaissance and has developed to become an increasingly philosophical topic within art. One could say light has become synonymous with your practice, can you tell us why it has become such a central concern for you? For me it became a question of materiality, I was concerned with the limitations set by the metals that I was using in my sculpture. In my early works I was using an unrefined type of iron to create different forms and shapes, these are important works for me but I was always aware that they were limited by the material with which they were made. My transition into stainless steel meant that I could start to combine the physicality of the work with the idea of reflection – in this way, the sculptures could operate on both a material and nonmaterial level, there was more than one force at work now. Stainless steel has the most sublime ability to reflect its surroundings; this allowed the sculptures to mirror and converse
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with their different environments. I began to realise that the completion of these works relied on the external impact of light, as much as the creation and completion of the metal object itself. I realised that I was no longer just using materials to achieve an outcome, but I was using materials to sculpt light. My work soon became about this balance between object and light, the focus of my practice became about finding the harmonious point between the form and the external forces on it, the light, the reflection - I was no longer making abstract objects but juggling multiple elements at once.
In a way your works have these cyclical relationships all operating at the same time in order for the piece to fully function; light and metal, viewer and reflection and so on. Something that happened as these works began to grow in reputation and popularity was that you started to create on a much larger scale, your works became monumental. When I began to create outdoor installations I must admit I was very excited, it presented a new opportunity to work on a scale that I hadn’t before. I mentioned earlier about how the external environment was reflected in the works, and so when I was asked to create sculptures that were set against the backdrop of great buildings or grand landscapes, naturally I wanted to create monuments that would stand up in this type of environment. I do not believe that good art has to be on a large scale but I wanted my works to mimic the greatness of the situation they found themselves in. I suppose this came to a head when I exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 2015. My work, ICEBERG, was a monumental stainless steel sculpture that was floated through the canals of Venice, (designed to represent an iceberg – as the title would suggest.) Standing 4 metres tall and 3 metres wide, its sheer mass was designed to parallel the overloaded ferries that flood daily into the fragile ancient city. I wanted to highlight the issue of the city’s downfall due to overpopulation and increased human traffic, as well as comment on the impact of global warming. Giving works a social and political integrity is also of importance to me, so that beyond a mere object they can tell a story, they can become truly contemporised.
You have been successfully creating works in stainless steel for some time now, would you say you have mastered the art of working with this material? How do you progress from this point, how do you move forward? I wouldn’t say that I have ‘mastered’ anything, there is always more that can be learned, more avenues to be explored. Certainly I have been working with stainless steel for a long time but the limits of how it can be used are always expanding. Industry techniques are constantly developing and what is possible now would never have been achievable ten or more years ago. It is important for me to always be at the forefront of metallurgy. There will always be more to achieve with any medium, however I believe I have now reached the point where I want to begin to introduce new materials into my practice. I have recently learned that you will be exhibiting in Pietrasanta, Tuscany. Can you tell us a little about that, what it means to you and how this may tie in with the new directions in your practice? Certainly, I am very pleased to announce that I have recently been invited to exhibit in the historic Tuscan town by the mayor Massimo Mallegni. The exhibition is scheduled for this summer (2016) and I want this show to represent a new direction in my practice. I’ve spoken about the desire for my work to sit ‘comfortably’ within it’s surroundings and this exhibition will be no exception. Pietrasanta has a staggering history and, as we all know, is famed for some of the best quality marble in the world. For hundreds of years the people of Pietrasanta have been quarrying this beautiful white stone, which has been favoured by artists such as Michelangelo all the way through to some of the leading contemporary marble sculptors. For this reason, and as homage to the location, I have decided to start creating some of my own works in marble. I will first experiment by fusing marble with the more familiar stainless steel, a combination that I am very intrigued to see the outcome of, as well as a visual representation of my transition between the two materials. I will also make some works purely using the local marble. I want these sculptures to maintain my signature stylistic approach; in the same way that my stainless steel sculptures are manipulated and distorted, I want the marble to retain that rhythmic, abstract aesthetic. For me, exhibiting in a place with such art-historical
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importance is a great honor and achievement. It seems only correct that I show my respect for the town by referencing their significant past whilst at the same time displaying a transition in my own practice. It is something I am very much looking forward to and hope that it will progress me into the next phase of my career, where I might start to experiment and work with alternative materials more often. This must be a real honor for you, to exhibit in such a prestigious art town with the rich history that you mentioned, as well as showcasing a transition in your practice. There have been many highlights in my career such as the 56th Venice Biennale and the upcoming London Design Biennale to name but a few, but my exhibition at Pietrasanta is certainly up there with my best achievements. Great artists have been invited to show in this town such as the iconic Igor Mitoraj as recently as 2015, and to have my name on that list is something that fills me with immense pride. I would urge anyone that can to visit the exhibition, as well as the town. It will run from June to August 2016 and I am excited for people to see such a pivotal point in my career. I hope that I have the opportunity to see it for myself, from what I understand Refractive Vibes and Pietrasanta aren’t the only thing that 2016 have in store for you? That is correct, I have been accepted into the inaugural London Design Biennale where I am delighted to represent my home country of Albania. As I’m sure you can imagine this is a very proud moment for me, not only because of it being such an important event, but also because it allows me to blur the boundaries between fine art practice and design. The theme of the show this year is ‘Utopia by Design’ and because of this brief I have taken inspiration from some of the earliest ideas of utopian thought in order to create something that I believe is both contemporary in design and current in terms of social and political relevance. By studying Plato’s notion of the ‘Ideal City’, I have created a place where people can sit and interact with one another, engaging on a social level. I’ve attempted to explore the value of the modern
community, and with the inclusion of the European border in the design I hope to comment on the current migration crisis affecting this continent. The shape of the design was inspired by renaissance imaginings of the ‘Ideal City’; when I saw these 17th century drawings I was struck by the way all the cities were planned out using concentric circles as walls that grew out from the centre. From this I had the idea to use stainless steel benches, oscillating out from four large central columns. All made of the highly reflective stainless steel, the design will have a dual function; the benches provide a place where people can connect with one another; whilst the central columns act as mirrors for private reflection. This duality was designed to parallel Plato’s notion of the external ‘State’ and the internal ‘Soul’. This is a tremendous experience for me as I will have the opportunity to bring together two disparate elements of contemporary culture. Merging art with design and creating something that is functional yet still recognizable as an abstracted sculptural form is going to be a tremendous challenge but I hope to create both a situation and an object that is original, stimulating and progressive.
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I was born as a monumental artist and I always considered art with a sense of greatness and vastness as it is the ultimate expression of the human mind and soul. Even when I work on a smaller sculpture I mould in it the concept of immensity.
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ICEBERG, VENICE, ITALY, 56TH VENICE BIENNALE, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel 400 x 300 x 300 cm, 157,4 x 118 x 118 in © Alex Maguire Photography
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PILLARS OF LIGHT, VENICE, ITALY, 56TH VENICE BIENNALE, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel Height from 60 to 300 cm, Height from 23,6 to 118 in Installation size: 440 x 300 x 280 cm, 173 x 118 x 110 in Š Alex Maguire Photography
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THE FOUR ELEMENTS, VENICE, ITALY, 56TH VENICE BIENNALE, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel Height from 30 to 70 cm, Height from 12 to 27,5 in, 200 x 100 cm (each), 79 x 39,3 in (each)
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EVERLASTING, MILAN MALPENSA TERMINAL 1, ITALY, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel and corten steel 400 x 150 x 90 cm, 157,4 x 59 x 35,4 in
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LIGHTED RUNWAYS, MILAN MALPENSA TERMINAL 1, ITALY, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel 425 x 228 x 98 cm, 167 x 89,7 x 38,6 in
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RIFLESSI LUNARI, HELSINN HEALTHCARE SA, PAZZALLO, SWITZERLAND, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel 360 x 150 x 40 cm, 300 x 140 x 40 cm, 141,7 x 59 x 15,7 in, 118 x 55 x 15,7 in
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MANTEGAZZA, PALAZZO MANTEGAZZA, LUGANO PARADISO, SWITZERLAND, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel 400 x 220 x 160 cm, 157,4 x 86,6 x 63 in
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OCEANO, SUNNY ISLES, FLORIDA, USA, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel 300 x 150 x 90 cm, 118 x 59 x 35,4 in
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VELA, YACHT CLUB MONACO, MONTECARLO, PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel 400 x 200 x 90 cm, 157,4 x 78,7 x 35,4 in
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MONOLITE D’ACCIAIO, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LEONARDO DA VINCI, MILAN, ITALY, 2013 Mirror polished stainless steel 300 x 90 x 85 cm, 118 x 35,4 x 33,5 in © ARCHIVIOMUSEOSCIENZATECNOLOGIA_ALESSANDROGRASSANI
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LIGHT COLLISION, LOMBARDIA PALACE, MILAN, ITALY, 2012 Mirror polished stainless steel 200 x 800 x 25 cm, 78,7 x 315 x 10 in
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RIFLESSI DAL CIELO, LOMBARDIA PALACE, MILAN, ITALY, 2012 Mirror polished stainless steel 400 x 200 x 100 cm, 157,4 x 78,7 x 39,3 in
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RIFLESSI DI STORIA, PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, TIRANA, ALBANIA, 2012 Mirror polished stainless steel 400 x 200 x 90 cm, 157,4 x 78,7 x 35,3 in
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SUONO D’ACCIAIO, THE VIOLIN MUSEUM, STRADIVARI FOUNDATION, CREMONA, ITALY, 2012 Mirror polished stainless steel 600 x 200 x 90 cm, 236 x 78,7 x 35,4 in
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THUNDER LIGHT, TRAVELING INSTALLATION, 2012 Mirror polished stainless steel 400 x 200 x 100 cm, 157,4 x 78,7 x 39,4 in
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ELLIPTICAL LIGHT, HOTEL MELIA, DUBAI, UAE, 2011 Mirror polished stainless steel 1200 x 400 cm, 472 x 157 in
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THE WALL, MIAMI, USA, 2011 Mirror polished stainless steel 200 x 400 x 100 cm, 86,6 x 157,4 x 63 in
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STEEL AND KAURI, RIVA WOOD MUSEUM, CANTÙ, ITALY, 2010 Wood and stainless steel Height 1000 cm, 394 in
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THE COIL ARVEDI STEEL PLANT CREMONA, ITALY, 2010 Stainless steel Height 1200 cm, 472,4 in
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THE THREE MONOLITHS, MONTANSTAHL, STABIO, SWITZERLAND, 2008 Stainless steel Height from 400 to 600 cm, 157,4 to 236 in
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RENAISSANCE OF TOWERS, TRAVELING INSTALLATION, 2007 Stainless steel 650 x 200 x 100 cm, 256 x 78,7 x 39,3 in
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THE PRANCING HORSE, FERRARI FACTORY, MARANELLO, ITALY, 2003 Stainless steel Height 500 cm, 197 in
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I don’t sculpt materials, I use materials to sculpt light.
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DONNA, 2005 Iron One of a kind 160 x 70 x 25 cm, 63 x 28 x 10 in
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DONNA (SIDE VIEW), 2005 Iron One of a kind 160 x 70 x 25 cm, 63 x 28 x 10 in
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ATOMO, 2005 Gloss paint on iron One of a kind 150 x 150 x 80 cm, 59 x 59 x 31 in
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ENERGIA DELLE FORME, 2006 Iron One of a kind 190 x 85 x 15 cm, 75 x 33 x 6 in
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STEEL WALL, 2008 Stainless steel and fluorescent tubes One of a kind 174 x 193 cm, 68,5 x 76 in
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ELLIPTICAL LIGHT, 2010 Mirror polished stainless steel, 316 Marine grade steel One of a kind 250 x 70 x 20 cm, 98 x 28 x 8 in
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LIGHT BEAM, 2012 Mirror polished stainless steel and iron base One of a kind 116 x 58 x 16 cm, 46 x 23 x 6 in, Base 100 x 65 x 25 cm, 39 x 26 x 10 in
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RED EXPLOSION, 2012 Red enameled iron One of a kind 67 x 80 cm, 26 x 31 in
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ENERGIA ATTRAVERSO IL BIANCO, 2013 White enameled iron One of a kind 60 x 90 x 20 cm, 24 x 35 x 8 in
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TRAMONTO, 2013 Red enameled iron One of a kind 76 x 40 x 16 cm, 30 x 16 x 6 in
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RIFLESSI DI LUNA, 2013 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 75 x 40 x 16 cm, 30 x 16 x 6 in
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RIFLESSI DEL BUIO, 2013 Black enameled iron One of a kind 119 x 119 cm, 47 x 47 in
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NIGHT LIGHT, 2013 Black leather and mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 62 x 85 x 100 cm, 24 x 33 x 39 in
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ELEGANCE, 2013 White leather and mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 62 x 85 x 100 cm, 24 x 33 x 39 in
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NOTE DI LUCE, 2013 Mirror polished stainess steel One of a kind 67 x 26 x 6 cm, 26 x 10 x 2 in
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BRIGHTNESS, 2013 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 175 x 55 x 30 cm, 69 x 22 x 12 in
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COLONNA DI LUCE, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 173 x 63 x 43 cm, 68 x 25 x 17 in
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STEEL ENERGY, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 123 x 86 x 30 cm, 48 x 34 x 12 in
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MONOLITE D’ACCIAIO, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 147 x 41 x 37 cm, 58 x 16 x 15 in
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SINERGIA DI LUCE, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 120 x 70 x 20 x cm, 47 x 28 x 8 in
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LUCE, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 70 x 70 x 17 cm, 28 x 28 x 7 in
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VORTICE D’ACCIAIO, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 93 x 50 x 25 cm, 37 x 20 x 10 in
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ISOLA DEL SOLE, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 75 x 150 x 25 cm, 30 x 59 x 10 in
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ENERGIA ATTRAVERSO IL ROSSO, 2014 Red enameled steel One of a kind 66 x 88 cm, 26 x 35 in
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ICE STEEL, 2014 Stainless steel, Swirl grinded finish One of a kind 50 x 50 cm, 20 x 20 in
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RUSCELLO D’ACCIAIO, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 75 x 90 x 20 cm, 30 x 35 x 8 in
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RADIANCE, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 70 x 89 x 21 cm, 28 x 35 x 8 in
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SPECCHIO DELL’ANIMA, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 74 x 70 x 20 cm, 29 x 28 x 8 in
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RADIANT ENERGY, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 73 x 38 x 16 cm, 29 x 15 x 6 in
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ILLUMINATION, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 72 x 144 x 29 cm, 28 x 57 x 11 in
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RADIANT ENERGY, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 138 x 85 x 24 cm, 54 x 33 x 9 in
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ILLUMINATION, 2014 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 99 x 196 x 20 cm, 39 x 77 x 8 in
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SHADES OF BLACK, 2014 Black enameled steel One of a kind 91 x 144 x 25cm, 36 x 57 x 10 in
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INTENSO, 2014 Red enameled steel One of a kind 94 x 146 x 25 cm, 37 x 57 x 10 in
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PURE REFLECTION, 2014 White enameled steel One of a kind 100 x 192 x 35 cm, 39 x 76 x 14 in
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EARTH, 2015 Corten steel One of a kind 150 x 45 x 53 cm, 59 x 18 x 22 in
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THE SWISS FLAG, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 120 x 120 cm, 47 x 47 in
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MONOLITE D’ACCIAIO, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 300 x 80 x 83 cm, 118 x 31 x 33 in
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SUN GLITTER, 2015 Temper glass top and mirror polished stainless steel base One of a kind 72 x 162 x 62 cm, 28 x 64 x 24 in
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REFLECTION, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 77 x 78 x 22 cm, 30 x 31 x 9 in
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FLASH OF LIGHT, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 68 x 126 x 20 cm, 27 x 50 x 8 in
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CAPITELLO D’ACCIAIO, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 164 x 49 x 38 cm, 65 x 19 x 15 in
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BIG BANG COLUMN, 2015 Stainless steel, Swirl grinded finish One of a kind 163 x 49 x 38 cm, 64 x 19 x 15 in
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THE FOUR ELEMENTS, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 149 x 75 x 35 cm, 129 x 75 x 35 cm, 90 x 75 x 35 cm, 59 x 75 x 35 cm, 58.6 x 29,5 x 13,7 in, 50,7 x 29,5 x 13,7 in, 35,4 x 29,5 x 13,7 in, 23,2 x 29,5 x 13,7 in
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GLACIERS (DETAIL), 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind
30 x 25 x 19 cm, 30 x 25 x 19 cm, 29 x 31 x 19 cm, 31 x 28 x 19 cm, 31 x 28 x 19 cm, 26 x 30 x 19cm 12 x 10 x 7 in, 12 x 10 x 7 in, 11 x 12 x 7 in, 12 x 11 x 7 in, 12 x 11 x 7 in, 10 x 12 x 7 in
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LIGHT WAVES, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 190 x 132 x 42 cm, 74 x 52 x 17 in
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PURITY, 2015 Statuario Carrara marble One of a kind 50 x 50 x 18 cm, 20 x 20 x 7 in
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LUME, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 70 x 30 x 20 cm, 26 x 12 x 8 in
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FLOWING ENERGY, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 131 x 72 x 43 cm, 51 x 28 x 17 in
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LUCENTEZZA, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 140 x 46 x 15 cm, 55 x 18 x 6 in
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CELLO, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 240 x 81 x 44 cm, 94,5 x 31,9 x 17,3 in
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TRIADE DEL RIFLESSO, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 290 x 180 x 40 cm, 114 x 71 x 16 in
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VELA, 2015 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 150 x 110 x 120 cm, 59 x 43 x 47 in
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VESUVIO, 2015 Corten steel One of a kind 94 x 193 x 28 cm, 76 x 37 x 11 in
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INNOCENCE, 2016 Statuario Carrara marble One of a kind 50 x 50 x 18 cm, 20 x 20 x 7 in
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SINERGIA DI LUCE, 2016 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 83 x 106 x 22 cm, 33 x 42 x 9 in
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ILLYRIAN WALL, 2016 Iron and fluorescent tubes One of a kind 90 x 84 x 12 cm, 35 x 33 x 5 in
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ETRUSCAN WALL, 2016 Iron and fluorescent tubes One of a kind 94 x 89 x 15 cm, 37 x 35 x 6 in
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FOLLOW THE SUN, 2016 Yellow enameled iron One of a kind 54 x 83 x 18 cm, 21 x 32,6 x 7 in
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OCEAN SURFACE, 2016 Blue enameled iron One of a kind 57.5 x 75 x 14 cm, 22,6 x 29,5 x 5,5 in
193
ILLUMINATION, 2016 Mirror polished stainless steel One of a kind 144 x 72 x 27 cm, 56,7 x 28,35 x 10,6 in
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PHOTOSPHERE, 2016 Mirror polished stainless steel and iron base 80 x 42 x 25 cm, 31,5 x 16,5 x 9,8 in
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BIOGRAPHY 1970 Born in Durres, Albania 1998 Wins of a scholarship to attend a specialization course at Kingston University in London 1999 Graduates at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Milan, Italy 2003 Wins first prize at the second edition of the Gemine Muse Young Artists in Italian Museums 2009 Receives Lifetime Achievement Award - Ninth Edition of the National Art award by the City of Novara, Italy 2015 Exhibits at the 56th Venice Biennale for the Syrian Pavilion
UPCOMING EVENTS 2016 Monumental Installation for the 24th Edition of FAI Day (Italian Environmental Fund) Monumental Installation in Miami- Dade County, Florida, USA (15 may 2016) th
London Design Biennale, Somerset House, London, UK (7 – 27 September 2016) Solo Exhibition of monumental sculptures in Pietrasanta in collaboration with the Municipality of Pietrasanta and ContiniArtUK. (June 2016)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2016 Action and Thought, Juvarra’s Halls of the State Archive, The Royal Palace of Turin, Italy. 2015 Everlasting, Terminal 1, Malpensa Airport, Milano, Italy. Nutrirsi d’Arte, Banca Mediolanum, Padua, Italy. Fashion and Art, La Tenda Experience, Expo Milano 2015, Via Solferino, Milano, Italy. Art and Jewellery, Villa Passalacqua, Como, Italy. 56th Venice Biennale, Syrian Pavilion, San Servolo Island, Venice, Italy. Expo Arte Italiana, Villa Bagatti Valsecchi, Varedo, Italy. Riflessi Lunari. Installation of monument for Helsinn Healthcare SA, Pazzallo, Switzerland. Monolite d’accacio, Rosenbaum Contemporary, St. Regis Bal Harbour, Florida. US 2014 Mostra di Sculture, Palazzo Mantegazza, Lugano, Switzerland. Sculpting Light, Galerie Lausberg, Düsseldorf, Germany. A Light in the Space, Houses of Art Gallery, Marbella, Spain. Oceano, Muse Sales Gallery, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami, Florida. 2013 Echo Brickell Sales Center, Brickell Avenue, Miami, Florida. Les Arts dans l’habitation, Continental Art Gallery, Port de Plaisance, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France. Contemporary Art at it’s Best, Houses of Art Marbella, Marbella, Spain. Art and Design, ESPACE Pierre Cardin, Paris, France. The Moulding Power of Light, La Galerie Nationale, Design Days Dubai, Dubai, UAE. Energia dell’Acciaio Attraverso l’Arte, National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci, Milan, Italy. Light in Miami, Nina Torres Fine Art, Byshore Drive, Miami, Florida, US. 20 Anni di Electronic Art Café, E.A.C. Performance, curated by Achille Bonito Oliva, Bologna, Italy. 2012 Riflessi di Storia, Presidential Palace of Tirana, Tirana, Albania. Sound of Steel, Museo del Violino, Fondazione Stradivari, Cremona, Italy.
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Sculpting Declinations. Fienil Arte, Cultural association of Pietrasanta, Pietrasanta, Italy. Riflessi dal Cielo, Palazzo della Regione Lombardia, Milan, Italy. 2011 Elliptical Light, Hotel Melia, Dubai. Lampi di Luce in Città, Marco Monti Art Gallery, Monza, Italy. Lampi di Luce in Città - Una città Museo, Municipality of Monza, Spirale Milano, Monza, Italy. Solo Exhibition at Marina di Varazze, Varazze, Italy. Summer Show, Houses of Art, Marbella Club Hotel, Marbella, Spain. Plasmare la forma attraverso la luce, Progetto Artevita, Matera, Italy. The Solo Project, De Primi Fine Art Gallery, St. Jakobshalle, Basel, Germany. Modellare la Luce Attraverso l’Acciaio, Museum of Villa Durazzo, S.M. Ligure, Italy. 2010 Acciaio e Kauri, Museo del Legno, Riva 1920, Cantù, Italy. Renaissance of Towers – Il Peso del Palio, Piazza IV Novembre, Legnano, Italy. Il Peso del Palio, Banca di Legnano, Legnano, Italy. Energie, Museo Magi 900, Bologna, Italy. Personal Exhibition, Colonna del Grillo, Castelmonastero, Siena, Italy. Renaissance of Towers – Leggero come l’acciaio, Mazzoleni Art Gallery, Bergamo, Italy. 2009 Leggero come l’acciaio, Galleria Como Arte, Como, Italy. 2008 Monumental Installations, Gulf Club Bogogno, Novara, Italy. Tu vuoi essere Attore….o comparsa?, Barclays Premier, Spirale Milano, Milan, Italy. Renaissance of Towers, STARK the transformer station Humboldt, Kopenhagener Strasse, Berlin, Germany. Monumental Installations, Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy. Energy - Urban Installations, Palazzo Melchionni, Alessandria, Italy. 2007 Renaissance of Towers, Cornice – Venice Art Fair, curated by Vittorio Sgarbi, Venice, Italy. 2006 Urban Installations in the City of Novara, Novara, Italy. Personal Exhibition, Questura di Novara, Novara, Italy. 2005 Testa di Cavallo, Monumental Installation, Al Halamen Roundabout, Novara, Italy. 2004 Luce, New Art Gallery, Borgomanero, Italy. 2003 Il Cavallino Rampante, Ferrari Headquarters, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. Horses, Personal Exhibition, Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2015 Breaking Through-Miami, Charity Auction in support of DRI, St. Regis Bal Harbour, Florida. US Acquaè Venice 2015, Venice Pavilion, Expo 2015, Milan, Italy. Hymn to Life – The Prize Mother Teresa of Calcutta, USA Pavilion, Expo 2015, Milan, Italy. Rosenbaum Contemporary, collective exhibition, St. Regis Bal Harbour, Florida. US From Enlightenment to Light, Miami Country Day School, Miami, US. Stemperando, International Biennial of Artworks on Paper, Turin, Italy. Monolite d’acciaio, Vicenza Oro, Vicenza, Italy. Art in the Park, Muse Sunny Isles, Collins Avenue, Florida. US 2014 Mese della Cultura e della Lingua Italiana, Collective exhibition of Italian Contemporary Artists, Yacht Club of Monaco, Monaco. Yachting and Art, Continental Art Fair Gallery, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, France Vela, A monument for the Inauguration of the new Yacht Club de Monaco, Monaco. Vela – The trophy, Giraglia Rolex Cup 2014, Monaco. 2013 All about these…Ladies and Gentlemen, Video screening, Co-Pilot project, Istanbul, Turkey. First Friday Art Walk, Nina Torres Fine Art Gallery, Miami, Florida, US. 2012 Naturalmente, First edition of Italy-China Biennial, Monza, Italy. Gateway of light, The Italian Home 30 years of style, The Anniversary of AD Magazine, Milan, Italy. 2011 Strappi, Graffi e Bagliori, Collective exhibition, Galleria Mondo Arte, Milan, Italy. Tra le Briccole di Venezia, Salone Internazionale del Mobile, IMM Cologne, Germany. Tra le Briccole di Venezia, Museum of Applied Arts (MAKK), Cologne, Germany. 2010 10th Edition National Art Prize, City of Novara, Orta San Giulio, Italy. The Present and the Future, Manoir de Cologny, Place du Manoir, Geneva, Switzerland. Chiedimi il Rosso, Collective exhibition, Overlook Centro d’Arte, Pistoia, Italy. Riflessi in Laguna, Le Briccole di Venezia, Riva 1920, Venezia, Italy. Openspace, IULM University, Milan, Italy. Riflessi in Laguna, Le briccole di Venezia, Salone Internazionale del Mobile, Triennale di Milano, Italy. Le Briccole di Venezia, inauguration of the project at Palazzo Triennale, Milan, Italy. 2009 Luxury on the Lake, Galleria la Perla, Cernobbio, Como, Italy. From Columbus to Columbus, Sala Verdi, Conservatorio di Milano, Fondazione UECO. 9th Edition of National Prize for sculpture and paintings, City of Novara, Salone Arengo, Palazzo Borletto, Novara, Italy. New Showroom, Artetivù, Venice, Italy Blue Note, Emma Re’s concert and Helidon Xhixha’s artworks, Milan, Italy.
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Steel Walls, Salusperaquam XLVIII Fuorisalone del Mobile 2009, Milan, Italy. Renaissance of Towers, Miraggi Project, Piazza Vigili del Fuoco, Milan, Italy. Steel Walls, BAU 2009 International fair for Architecture, Monaco, Germany. 2008 Il Lusso delle opere di Helidon Xhixha, Bespoke, Fair of Luxury, Ex Palazzo del Ghiaccio, Milan,Italy. 1st Edition Arte Forte, Spirale Milano, Forte dei Marmi, Lucca, Italy. Il Lago in Mostra, Past, Present and Future of Art, Pallanza, Villa Giulia, Verbania, Italy. ARTOURR-O the MUST, International Culture Hall, Yiwu, China. ARTOURR-O, MUST VII Edition, Grand Hotel Minerva, Piazza S. Maria Novella, Florence, Italy. 2002 Collective Exhibition at Salone Arengo, Palazzo Borletto, Novara. Italy. Luci ed Ombre, Galleria Magenta, Via Roma, Magenta, Italy. 2001 Sculpture Contest, Open Air Museum, Tokyo, Japan. Collective Exhibition, Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Milan, Italy. One Company Brain, Think Finance, Milan, Italy. Collective Exhibition, Agora Gallery, New York, US. 2000 Open Factories, Procos SpA, Cameri, Italy. Mulino Vecchio di Bellinzago, Parco Piemontese del Ticino, Bellinzago Novarese, Italy. Nudo per l’Estate , Artistic and Cultural Event, Milan, Italy. Collective exhibition, Black Health Gallery, London, UK. 1999 Collective Exhibition, United States Consulate General, Milan, Italy. Collective Exhibition, Kingston University, London, UK.
PUBLIC INSTALLATIONS 2015 Thunder Light, St. Regis Bal Harbour, Miami, Florida, US Everlasting, La Porta di Milano, Terminal 1, Malpensa Airport, Italy Waterfalls, Giuseppe Bussolin Square, Padua, Italy Riflessi Lunari, Helsinn Healthcare SA, Pazzallo, Switzerland Lighted Runways, Terminal 1, Malpernsa Airport, Milan, Italy Iceberg, Venice Biennale, San Servolo Island, Venice, Italy The Four Elements, Venice Biennale, San Servolo Island, Venice, Italy Pillars of Light, Venice Biennale, San Servolo Island, Venice, Italy. 2014 Mantegazza, Palazzo Mantegazza, Riva Paradiso, Lugano, Switzerland Oceano, Muse Sunny Isles Sales Gallery, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, US Vela, New Yacht Club de Monaco, Quai Louise II, Monaco Seahorse, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Côte d’Azur, France 2013 Monolite d’Acciaio, Leonardo Da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology, Milan, Italy The Wall, Bayfront Park, Miami, Florida, US 2012 Riflessi di Storia, Presidential Palace, Tirana, Albania Suono d’Acciaio, The Violin and contemporary Art Museum, Stradivari Foundation, Cremona, Italy Riflessi dal Cielo, Lombardy Regional Government Building, Milan, Italy. Light Collision, Lombardy Regional Government Building, Milan, Italy. 2011 Elliptical Light, Grand Hotel Melia, Port Rashid, Dubai, UAE. 2010 Renaissance of Towers, Piazza IV Novembre, Legnano, Italy. The Coil, Arvedi Steel Plant, Via Acquaviva 18, Zona Porto Canale, Cremona, Italy. Renaissance of Towers, Provincial Authorities Building, Via Torquato Tasso, Bergamo, Italy. Steel and Kauri, Riva 1920, The Museum of Wood, Via Milano 110, Cantu, Italy. 2009 Renaissance of Towers, Piazza Alessandro Volta, Como, Italy. Renaissance of Towers, Piazza Vigili del Fuoco, Milan, Italy. 2008 Renaissance of Towers, STARK The transformer Station Humboldt, Copenhagener Strasse, Berlin, Germany. Renaissance of Towers, Piazza de’ Rucellai, Florence, Italy. The Three Monoliths, Montanstahl Factory, Via Gerrette, Stabio, Switzerland. Monumental Sculptures, Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy.
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2004 Airone, Piazza Magnani Ricotti, Novara, Italy. Testa di Cavallo, Piazza El Alamein, Novara, Italy. 2003 Light and Shade, Gemine Muse (2nd edition), Young Artists in Italian Museums, Novara, Italy. Cavallino Rampante, Ferrari Factory, Maranello, Italy. 2002 Renaissance of Towers, Corso Umberto I, Stresa (Vb), Italy. 2001 Bas – relief, Piazza Marinone, San Pietro Mosezzo (No), Italy. Horses, Piazza Martiri della Libertà, Banca Popolare di Intra, Novara, Italy.
COLLECTIONS & MUSEUMS Italy Fondazione Roma, Rome, Italy Museo della Scienza e della Tecnologia “Leonardo da Vinci”, Milan, Italy Museo del Violino, Fondazione Stradivari, Cremona, Italy Fondazione Humanitas, Milan, Italy Museo del Legno Riva, Cantù, Italy Museo Magi 900, Bologna, Italy Fondazione Luciano Pavarotti, Milan, Italy Fondazione Francesca Rava, Italy Associazione “Ali Spahia”, Milan, Italy San Patrignano Foundation, Italy MediaFriends Onlus, Milano, Italy Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy Banca Mediolanum, Padua, Italy Regione Lombardia, Milano, Italy Arvedi Group, Cremona, Italy Municipality of San Pietro Mosezzo, Italy Municipality of Stresa, Italy Veneto Banca, Novara, Italy Municipality of Legnano, Italy Ferrari Factory, Maranello, Italy Municipality of Novara Giulio Cesare Project, Novara, Italy Monaco Yacht Club Monaco, Monaco France Pierre Cardin, Paris
Albania Presidential Palace, Tirana USA Property Markets Group, Miami, Florida Diabetes Research Insitute, Miami, Florida St. Regis Hotel, Bal Harbour, Florida Switzerland Palazzo Mantegazza, Lugano, Switzerland Helsinn Corporate, Lugano, Switzerland Montantahl Group, Stabio, Switzerland Qatar Qatar Foundation, Qatar UAE Grand Melia, Hotel, Dubai, UAE Suwaidi Group, Abu Dhabi
AWARDS 2016 Premio Napoli Cultural Classic 2016, Premio Eccellenze, Naples, Italy 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award – Ninth edition of the National Art award by the City of Novara – October 2009 Organized by the artistic and cultural association Art Action, under the patronage of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture of the Piedmont Region, the Province of Novara and FIAF (Italian Federation of Photographic Associations). The National Art Award of the City of Novara is a valuable initiative that enriches the cultural offerings of a city that is opening up more and more in an engaging manner to the art world. The mayor of Novara, Massimo Giordano with great enthusiasm has always supported this event encouraging it since it’s first edition. According to the Head of culture of the municipality of Novara, Giancarlo Pessarelli, and the Artistic Director of the City Award, Vincenzo Scardino, the artworks submitted and selected by the artistic committee have highly qualitative characteristics. Novara therefore, with this ninth Art award, boast an initiative highly appreciated and welcomed by national critics. In the occasion of this prestigious event Helidon Xhixha, as great master of contemporary art is honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the city of Novara. 2003 First prize, second edition of Gemine Muse, Young Artists in Italian Museums Under the patronage of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture and in collaboration with GAI (Young Italian Artists) and CIDAC Association (City of Art and Culture) Helidon Xhixha received the first prize presenting his artwork Light and Shade.
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ContiniArtUK is pleased to announce the introduction of our new app that utilises the latest technology in augmented reality to bring Xhixha’s Light Waves sculpture to life, allowing our viewers to visualise and contextualise the work in their own surroundings. After downloading this free app, viewers will now be able to experience Light Waves in augmented reality, directly from their screens by placing the phone above the marker on page 165.
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