Minister of Economy, Culture, and Innovation, Blendi Gonxhja, today extended his congratulations to painter Edi Hila on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

Gonxhja expressed that the magic of the brushstroke of this great artist has carved a permanent place in the history of Albanian art.

“Here’s to 100 more years, Edi Hila! The magic of this great artist’s brushstroke has etched a lasting place in the history of Albanian art, gifting works that speak the language of the soul,” Gonxhja wrote.

Edi Hila was born in Shkodra on October 13, 1944. He is one of the most important painters in contemporary Albanian art, inclined toward figurative painting.

After completing his higher education at the Institute of Arts in Tirana in 1967, Hila began working as a set designer at Albanian Radio Television. In 1972, he painted The Planting of Trees, a work that was initially praised by both the public and critics of the time. A year later, Hila pursued professional training as a set designer at the television station in Florence. His contact with museums and Renaissance painting would later have a significant impact on Hila’s work.

His works are part of the collections of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the National Gallery of Arts in Tirana, the private collection of René Block, Frac-Auvergne, and the Ville de Paris Collection. His pieces have been exhibited in art galleries across many cities worldwide, including Athens, Warsaw, Vienna, Milan, and others.

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