"Velvet Glance" Painting

Vangjel Gjikondi was born on August 20, 1958, in Tirana, Albania, with family roots in the coastal region of Qeparo. He studied Monumental Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts (Akademia e Arteve) in Tirana, where he graduated in 1982. From 1983 to 1993, he worked at the historic Kinostudio “Shqipëria e Re”, first in the animation department and later as a costume painter in more than ten major Albanian film productions, including Duaje emrin tënd, Nxënësit e klasës time, Treni niset në 7 pa 5, and Pranverë e hidhur. Starting in the mid-1980s, he began participating in national and international exhibitions. In 1984, he took part in the Biennale of Alexandria (Egypt), and from 1985 onwards he frequently exhibited at the National Gallery of Arts in Tirana. Between 1998 and 2000, he held solo exhibitions in Paris (at Perieas House, through the Albanian Embassy), as well as through the VEVE Foundation in Albania. Throughout his artistic career, he created more than 3,000 original works, including portraits, landscapes, illustrations, and complex historical compositions. His distinctive style blends vibrant colors, expressive alla prima brushwork, and strong influences from the European Renaissance. One of his greatest achievements was the monumental painting series titled “Historia e Skënderbeut” (The History of Skanderbeg) — a collection of 55–60 oil paintings completed over ten years (2008–2018), narrating the life of Albania’s national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg. The series was exhibited in September 2018 at the National Historical Museum of Albania in Tirana. His works are part of permanent collections at the National Gallery of Arts and the National Historical Museum in Albania, as well as private collections in Europe and North America. Vangjel Gjikondi passed away on July 24, 2023, leaving behind a unique and irreplaceable artistic legacy that is now being preserved and promoted by his family. 🎥 https://youtu.be/wBkxTngLh-Q?si=fH4N6hgzK232XQ4z