Adela Demetja (born 1984 in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

) is an Albanian art curator. Adela Demetja is a curator, culture manager, producer and institution runner from

, active in South East Europe and West Europe. Since 17 years she has been initiating and organising culture projects aiming at fostering regional collaboration in the art and culture sector in South East Europe. As an independent curator and culture manager, through exhibitions, culture events, articles she has been continuously promoting artists and art from SEE region, in Europe and the United States.

Education

Demetja graduated with a Masters in Curatorial and Critical Studies from the Städelschule and the

Goethe University Frankfurt Goethe University (german: link=no, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main) is a university located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It was founded in 1914 as a citizens' university, which means it was founded and funded by the wealt ...

, both located in

Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. Demetja is also trained as a painter and studied fine arts at the

Academy of Arts in Tirana The University of Arts ( sq, Universiteti i Arteve), formerly known as the Academy of Arts ( sq, Akademia e Arteve) is a public university and the main institution that offers higher education of the arts in Albania. History Founded in 1966 as the ...

in 2006, and at Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design in Karlsruhe

Career

As an independent curator, Demetja has curated numerous international exhibitions and collaborated among others with institutions like National Gallery of Arts Tirana, National Art Gallery of Kosovo, Maxim Gorki Theatre Berlin, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art]

USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, Project Biennale D-0 Ark Underground Konjic, Action Field Kodra Thessaloniki], Lothringer 13 Kunsthalle Munich], Villa Romana Florence, Haus am Lützowplatz Berlin] . She curated th
Albanian Pavilion
at

59th Venice Biennale The 59th Venice Biennale is an international contemporary art exhibition held between April and November 2022. The Venice Biennale takes place biennially in Venice, Italy. Artistic director Cecilia Alemani curated its central exhibition. ...

represented by Lumturi Blloshmi. She is founder and program director of “Curating with Care” alternative educational program in curating] taking place in

. She lives and works between

and

. As one of the founders of Tirana Art Lab – Centre for Contemporary Art, Adela Demetja has curated various contemporary art exhibitions in different venues around Tirana. TAL aims at promoting emerging and established artists and contemporary art from

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

as well as from Central, Eastern, and

South Eastern Europe Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe (SEE) is a geographical subregion of Europe, consisting primarily of the Balkans. Sovereign states and territories that are included in the region are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia (al ...

. The center is process and research oriented. Through different formats like, residencies, exhibitions, workshops, performances, lectures and talks, as well as research and publications, TAL has managed to create a space for emergent critical and reflective thoughts. The center initiates and supports new productions by national and international artists, and projects critically engaged with artistic, cultural and social issues of transitional and contemporary societies. From 2014 to 2018 TAL operated from an independent multifunctional space located in the centre of Tirana. Its unique laboratory consisted of an exhibition space, a space for artists in residence and an open public library of contemporary art books. Since 2018 TAL has been putting an emphasis on projects rooted in research and archiving, in relation to art in publics space (Tirana Floating Archive & Tirana Floating Tours) and highlighting the practices of women artists (Secondary Archive). In 2023 TAL initiated "Curating with Care" the first alternative educational program in curating in collaboration with

Istituto Italiano di Cultura The Istituto Italiano di Cultura, the Italian Cultural Institute in English, is a worldwide non-profit organization created by the Italian government. It promotes Italian culture and is involved in the teaching of the Italian language. The creat ...

a Tirana.

Activity

*2007–2008 – As a fellow of the Robert Bosch Foundation in the Culture Manager from

Central and Eastern Europe Central and Eastern Europe is a term encompassing the countries in the Baltics, Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Southeast Europe (mostly the Balkans), usually meaning former communist states from the Eastern Bloc and Warsaw Pact in Europe. ...

, Demetja worked as a guest curator at the Lothringer 13 – Städtische Kunsthalle

München Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

. She curated a number of international exhibitions and events in different European countries.

Exhibitions

Thematic exhibitions she has curated include: * 2023-2024 – ''Terminal for Tirana'', art work in public space by Karolina Halatek in

. * 2022 – '' Lumturi Blloshmi. From Scratch'', National Gallery of Kosovo, Prishtina. * 2022 – '' Lumturi Blloshmi. From Scratch]'', Albanian Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale, Venice Art Biennale.. * 2022 – ''Secondary Archive Albania'', Online Platform for Central and Eastern European Women Artists. * 2021 – ''THOMAS WERNER: WANDBILD (FÜR JERG)'', permanent exhibition at The Institute for the History of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. * 2021 – '' Ambitions'' with the curator Erëmirë Krasniqi, with Silva Agostini, Brigita Antoni, Bora Baboçi, Alma Bakiaj, Lumturi Blloshmi, Lirije Buliqi, Liljana Çefa, Donika Çina, Flaka Haliti, HAVEIT, Blerta Hoçia, Majlinda Hoxha, Shpresa Faqi, Fitore Isufi – Koja, Shelbatra Jashari, Ledia Kostandini, Edona Kryeziu, Hyrije Krypa, Iva Lulashi, Diana Miziri, Silvi Naçi, Matilda Odobashi, Greta Pllana, Edit Pula(j), Nurhan Qehaja, Alketa Ramaj, Miradije Ramiqi, Anila Rubiku, Merita Selimi, Marina Sula, Alije Vokshi, Eli Xoxa, Alketa Xhafa Mripa, Rudina Xhaferi, Violeta Xhaferi, Androniqi Zengo Antoniu, Sofia Zengo Papadhimitri, Valbona Zherka, National Gallery of Arts Tirana, Albania and the National Gallery of Kosovo, Prishtina. * 2020 – ''A for Unapologetic'' with Bora Baboçi, Diomen Boriçi, Eni Derhemi, Fatlum Doçi, Aurora Kalemi, Ledia Kostandini, Olson Lamaj, Ilir Lluka, Mirjana Meçaj, Greta Pllana, Alketa Ramaj including works by Vaska Emanouilova, Vaska Emanouilova Gallery and DOZA Gallery, Sofia Bulgaria, Organized by DOMA Art Foundation. * 2019 – ''NEXUS 2'', time-based exhibition for the stage, with Olga Ziegner-Koppány, Daliah Ziper, Rena Rädle & Vladimir Jermic, Adela Demetja, YCA at Herbstsalon, Maxim Gorki Theater

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

. * 2019 – ''NEXUS 1'', time-based exhibition for the stage, with Dante Buu, Adela Demetja, Raluca Croitoru, Emily Henderson, Adrian McBride, Selma Selman, Time Based Festival, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, Oregon, US. * 2018 – ''9 hours away'', times-based exhibition, with Silva Agostini / Chto Delat? / Anna McCarthy / Damir Očko, installation by Abigail Deville and audio conversation by Adela Demetja and Emily Henderson, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, Oregon, US. * 2016 – ''Focus: Ex-Yugoslavia and Albania'', ViennaContemporary, Vienna Austria, works by young and established artists from these countries presented by the institutions: Igor Eškinja, Andrea Knezović, Neven Korda (Galerija Alkatraz,

Ljubljana, Slovenia Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center. During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the ar ...

). Dalibor Martinis, Damir Očko, Dino Zrnec (Apoteka Space for Contemporary Art,

Vodnjan Vodnjan (; it, Dignano) is a town in Istria County, Croatia, located about 10 kilometers north of the largest city in Istria, Pula. History According to the legend, it developed out of the association of seven villas which were part of the colon ...

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

). Dusan Percinkov,

Nada Prlja Nada may refer to: Culture * Nāda, a concept in ancient Indian metaphysics Places *Nada, Hainan, China *Nada, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the United States *Nada, Nepal, village in Achham District, Seti Zone *Nada, Texas, United St ...

, Ilija Prokopiev (Serious Interests Agency,

Skopje Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...

). Milan Nešić, Slavica Obradović, Slobodan Stošić (Šok Zadruga, Novi Sad, Serbia). Lumturi Blloshmi, Alketa Ramaj, Aurora Kalemi Tirana Art Lab – Center for Contemporary Art], Tirana, Tirana, Albania.) * 2016 – ''Remembering in Form'', with Wiebke Grösch & Frank Metzger, Ksenija Jovišević, Ilir Lluka, Damir Očko, Simon Speiser, George Steinmann, Gallery Heike Strelow

. * 2015 – ''D-0 Ark Underground, Third Edition of International Project Biennale'',

Konjic Konjic ( sr-Cyrl, Коњиц) is a city and municipality located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in northern Herzegovina, around southwest of Sarajevo. ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

. Participating Artists: Dante Buu, Leone Contini, Documentary Embroidery, Effi & Amir, Helidon Gjergji, G.R.A.M., Tue Greenfort, Wiebke Grösch / Frank Metzger, Flaka Haliti, Marlene Hausegger, Dritan Hyska, Adela Jušić, Johanna Kirsch, Elvedin Klačar, Damian Le Bas, Delaine Le Bas, Ralo Mayer & Oliver Gemballa, Anna McCarthy, Damir Očko, Nikolay Oleynikov, Alketa Ramaj, Selma Selman, Mladen Stilinović, Sylvia Winkler & Stephan Köperl. * 2015 – ''Titled'', with Khaled Barakeh, Viola Bittl, Lena Ditlmann, Christoph Esser, Young Joo Lee, Att Poomtangon, Gallery Heike Strelow

. * 2013 – ''100 km Art. Tirana/Shkodra Public Art Parcours''. An art exhibition on the road between

and Shkodra with works by Nikolin Bujari, Kueng Caputo, Ledia Kostandini, Matilda Odobashi, Guadalupe Ruiz, Susanne Schär & Peter Spillmann, Studio 203 & Romeo Kodra, Johannes Willi,

. * 2013 – ''The Aesthetic of the Small Act'' with Armando Lulaj, Att Poomtangon,

Jens Haaning Jens Haaning (born 1965) is a Danish conceptual, contemporary artist living and working in Copenhagen. Haaning has produced a body of artworks since the 1990s, which attempt to offer an acute reflection of a complex and changing society in the ...

, Karmelo Bermejo, Flaka Haliti, Lana Cmajcanin,

Tessaloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

. * 2012 – ''Voices of Truth'' with

Adrian Paci Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the main ...

, Ibro Hasanovic, Damir Ocko,Damir Ocko, Villa Romana,

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Personal life

Demetja lives and works between

and

References

External links

Feedback 1989 exhibition labforculture.org Labforculture.org Adriatic region in focus worldcat.orgabebooks.co.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Demetja, Adela Date of birth missing (living people) 1984 births 20th-century Albanian painters 21st-century Albanian painters Albanian expatriates in Germany Art directors European art curators Founders Goethe University Frankfurt alumni People from Karlsruhe People from Tirana Living people Albanian curators Albanian women curators Women founders Albanian women painters Albanian graphic designers Women graphic designers 20th-century women painters 21st-century women painters