Architecture as history

Architecture is present as a motif in the oeuvre of both Edi Hila (*1944) and Thea Djordjaze (*1971): it appears fragmentary, as a symbol of a change that is not yet complete. The exhibition, curated by Dr. Corinne Diserens, was created in close collaboration with the artists and realized together with the Moderna Museet Malmö. The Albanian artist Edi Hila, who lives in Tirana, the country's capital, witnessed radical social and political changes in his country in the 20th century. His paintings of mysterious, anonymous building complexes trace Albania's transformation process.

Georgian artist Thea Djordjaze has lived in Germany since the 1990s and has experienced the influences of communism to a lesser extent. However, her work, which is often site-specific and incorporates architectural forms, also emphasizes the non-closed nature of buildings. The exhibition Edi Hila | Thea Djordjaze illustrates the depth of the legacy of communism through the diversity of the participating artists. The show, in which current works of art by both Hila and Djordjaze can also be seen, runs from April 25 to October 5.

Thea Djordjaze combines many media in her artistic installations, including painting, photography, drawing, video, performance and music. For the Hamburger Kunsthalle, she is developing a new complex of works in which she examines the Kunsthalle building formally, materially and situationally. Edi Hila's work is presented in the form of an overview. In addition to key works such as the notorious painting Planting of Trees (1972), which made Hila famous but which he had to spend three years in a re-education camp because of its unrealistic color scheme, the exhibition also includes his most recent works. The exhibits include paintings, works on paper and maquettes.