Olson Lamaj
Olson Lamaj’s works operate in real contexts to distract or create disorder by luring and hypnotizing the viewer. His research can be called “borrowed”, where images and situations belonging to the community are re-elaborated by returning reflections on the existential human nature. Or they represent a kind of institutional critique, without any judgment on the social and cultural dynamics of the environment where the works are exposed.
Far from being nostalgic or obedient, in essence he acts more like a warrior than a victim. In his work there is always a typical element of parody, and this represents Lamaj’s attitude expressed in a manner similar to a “smile” instead of laughter. Emphasizing the ambiguity or the two faces of the same coin, in his works he uses the photograph, the video or the installation. But they are merely functional tools to convey a message rather than a structural part of its practice.
In 2012, Lamaj was one of the co-founders of Miza Gallery, a space run by artists in the heart of Tirana, serving as a showcase for young Albanian artists to host and create artistic projects, lectures to promote and develop the debate on the contemporary Albanian art scene.