OLTSEN GRIPSHI, was born
in Durrës on August 10th, 1984. He is an artist, lecturer, essayist,
curator of contemporary art, historian
and art critic. After high school graduation in the Artistic Lyceum “Jan
Kukuzeli” of Durrës he continued his studies at the painting of Fine Arts
Academy G. B. Cignaroli of Verona, Italy where he is excellently graduated in
2006. In 2009, he mastered the Master Degree Post Lauream in the “Aesthetic
and Art Critique for Pedagogy in Iconography Reading”, at the Faculty
of Educational Sciences at State University of Padua, Italy. In 2012, the
II Degree in Specialisation School (Laurea Doctus) in the “Contemporary
Art History and Show Disciplines”, at the Academy of Fine Arts G. B.
Cignaroli of Verona, Italy. In 2017 Ph. D. (Philosophiae Doctor) he is
very well graduated in the “History of Albanian Art”, at the
Institute of Cultural Anthropology Studies on Art at the Academy of
Albanological Studies (ASA) Tirana, Albania.
From 2009-2010 he has
worked at State Library of Verona in the archive and restoration of the antique
books as well as categorization of literary fund of “Giuseppe Tucato”.
He is an External Lecturer of History of Art and Archeology, History of the Albanian
Economy at the "Aleksander Moisiu" University, Durrës and Specialist
for Education, Art and Culture (Museums, Cultural Heritage and Archaeological
Parks) in the Prefecture of Durrës Region. His artistic philosophical approach
is that surreal-conceptual language, applying it with various medias such:
painting on canvas, video art, installation and photography. In
2010, Gripshi’s career begins with the introduction of his name in the Italian
Encyclopaedia of Art, for later enriching it with personal exhibition at
National Gallery of Art of Albania (2016), Center for Openness and Dialogue COD
Prime Minister’s Office of Albania (2017), Tirana International Film Festival
TIFF 2017, video-art session, TIFF 15th (2017), Albanian National
Theater (2020), Pavilion of Albanian Contemporary Art in the Ministry of Culture
(2021), MuZEH Lab (2021), in collective exhibitions at Contemporary Photography
Prize PH Neutro Gallery Verona (2010), Beinnale Internazionale dell’Arte
Contemporanea di Palermo (2012), Onufri XI International Prize (2015), Imago
Mundi Collection (2016), Museo Casa del Mantegna Mantova (2018), Canova Prize
Pop Up Space Gallery New York (2018), Tirana International Self-Portrait
Biennale (2019), Asian International Biennale of Bangladesh (2021), Tirana
International Watercolor Biennale (2021), competitions and various
international events, international prizes and acknowledgments.
Ph.D. Oltsen Gripshi is
the author of many monographs on the history and philosophy of art. He is also
a Art Historian of ICOM (International Council of Museums) Paris, France, Art
Critic on Aica (International Association of Art Critics) Paris, France, academic
researcher Interpret Europe (European Association for
Cultural Heritage Interpretation) Cologne, Germany and member of the Scientific Board of the Academy
of Art, Science, Letters and Mirdita Journal.
Gratitude
2018 Award for the most accomplished art criticism, published
in the Scientific Journal "Mirdita" 2018, Cultural and Artistic
Society "Mirdita", Tirana, Albania.
2016 Acknowledgment for the career "CANALETTO PRIZE
2016, ARTISTIC CAREER AWARD", at the International Biennial of
Contemporary Art Riviera del Brenta, Padua, Italy.
2014 High international recognition for Human Rights "NELSON
MANDELA", in the field of art, Lecce, Italy.
2013 Merited Artist of the city Sogliano Cavour 2013,
Sogliano Cavour, Italy.
2013-2015 Honored Master of Arts and honorary members of the
Italian National Cultural Society "Italia in Arte", Brindisi, Italy.
International awards
2021 Special Award Tirana International of
Watercolor Biennale 4th Edition, Tirana, Albania.
2018 Finalist of the International Prize
in Contemporary Art "CANOVA PRIZE 2018", Pop Up Space Gallery,
Manhattan, New York, USA.
2014 Special International Award "RAFFAELLO
SANZIO 2014", Brindisi, Italy.
2013 International Award "MICHELANGELO
D'ORO", Florence, Italy.
2012 International Award "LE
LOUVRE", Paris, France.
2012 International Award "NETTUNO
2012", Bari, Italy.
2012 International Award in the VI edition
"HUMAN RIGHTS, SPARTACUS 2012", Lecce, Italy.
2010 Merited Artist Award in the artistic
drawing competition "IN PUNTA DI MATITA LUOGHI, IMMAGINI, ATMOSFERE, ATTIVITÀ
DELLA VENEZIA DI OGGI", Museo Correr, Venice, Italy.
Monograph
publications
2021 “Helidon Haliti: Synthesis of
the dream, here and there of existence”, Lilo Printing Publishing
House, Tirana. ISBN: 978-9928-149-95-4.
2020 “Anatomy of colors”,
catalog of the solo exhibition of the painter Xhevdet Spahija, Buy BK Printing
House, Gjakova, Kosovo.
2019 “Self-portrait, the Intological
Antropocentric Embryo” (Albanian-English), catalog of the International
Biennial of Self-Portrait, Lilo Printing Publishing House, Tirana. ISBN:
978-9928-149-82-4.
2018 “Different: the portrait and
nudity in the paintings of Pashk Përvathi”, exhibition catalog, Mali Pleshti
Printing House, Tirana. ISBN: 978-9928-202-31-3.
2017 “Imago Animus Naïf”,
publication: Art and Activity at the National Gallery of Arts 2017 - Artistic
Education Atelier, co-author of the volume with Ylli Drishti, Artan Shabani,
Esmeralda Dalipi, Aurela Papadhima, Tirana, p. 48-49. ISBN:
978-9928-355-76-8.
2017 “The Phisiognomy of Nature in the
Macchiaioli Landscapes of Qamil Grezda”, catalog with title: “Qamil
Grezda 1917-1992”, Mali Pleshti Printing House, Tirana. ISBN: 978-9928-147-38-7.
