The well-known painter Vangjel Gjikondi has passed away. Originally from Qeparo, Gjikondi was born on August 20, 1958. He studied at the High Institute of Arts.

After his studies, he worked at the “New Albania” Film Studios, first in the cartoon movies department for a few months and later as a costume painter in the feature movies. He was a painter of many movies, such as “Love your name”, “The students of my class”, “The train leaves at 5 to 7”, etc.

Vangjel Gjikondi has been a very active painter, participating in individual and collective exhibitions, as well as in painters’ colonies. He will be especially remembered for his cycle of 55 paintings dedicated to Skanderbeg, revealing in painting all the stages of the hero’s life, from the baptism to his passing away. Gjikondi worked for 10 years in bringing his figure as human as possible.

Landscapes from the Albanian Riviera are also distinguished and appraised a good deal in Gjikondi’s art.

The painter himself said that his style was inspired by the European Renaissance, which he highly valued. The painter’s works have been exhibited in the National Art Gallery, the National Historical Museum, but also in art galleries abroad.
/a.p./