Iris II Print

"What he wants to tell us with his language of colours and creativity is akin to silent infrasonic chiming with the images from within projected onto canvas. Artan Balaj emerges in the time when visual Arts in Kosova oscillates between visible and invisible, lethargy and peculiar rebellion, between that in what we used to name traditional and contemporary. His seal stamps idiosyncratic accent to transform drawings from classicism into shape and fussed medium that he consumes with the articulated craftsmanship and inspiration from real to surreal, till occultist abstraction. He has distinguished himself from other artists in his quintessence, transcendental lyricism and urban engagement for illumination of his art in the hush and actual cultural paralyses. From all what the art consumer might grasp; is esoteric, sacral dimension in the possible presentation of silent reality. This displays infra and ultrasonic vibrations in the form of drawings of electromagnetic waves of sound, which speaks to us with the tongue of bells, to awake us from lethargy. This through reflections (Albedo effect), through fear, reality and meta-reality pulls as a theatre curtain. This artistic language manifests collective silence on diverse phenomenon of biologic nature (spermatozoids and ovum), physical nature (sounds and forms), spiritual nature (fear, darkness and light) and optical (colour, nuance and perspective) which emerges as a first material layer manifested on canvas. What for me makes Artan Balaj, distinct, is a combination of styles, mediums, techniques, individual artistic liberty, courage and lyricism of this expression and absoluteness in his creativity, which inaugurates the tracks and offers options to newer generations, not pioneering in something new but as a proclamation of something different seeing plentitude of space in the artistic sky, to illuminate another star and glorify that Divine image." writen by: Fahredin Shehu "Merging constructivist and geometric sensibilities, Artan Balajs black and white paintings evoke a sense of mystery and intrigue. The high contrast paintings rich tonal values reference the syntax of photography. Deconstructing the composition through the use of positive and negative space creates the illusion of a haunting imaginary landscape of the mind. The visceral power of Artan Balajs mixed media works stems from his aggressive mark making.