HERE AND NOW
The latest project by the renowned artist from Gostivar, North Macedonia, Verim Zendeli, entitled “Here and Now”, presented for the first time at the exhibition space of GOCAT Gallery in Tirana, marks a new artistic approach and a significant step with strong conceptual aspirations in his creative journey.
Inspired by Walter Benjamin’s philosophical reflections, who through the notions of “here” and “now” as metaphors for space and time emphasized the originality and authenticity of the artwork, Zendeli adopts these concepts as the guiding principle of his exhibition. The exhibition places at its core the interaction between the artwork, the spatial environment in which it is situated, and the audience that experiences it.
This project emerges as a form of artistic protest, a conscious act of resistance articulated through art, placing thematic emphasis on the uncertain and highly complex situation in North Macedonia.
At its core lies a layered narrative, intertwining personal experience with collective memory, while exploring the social, economic, and political phenomena of the reality in which the artist himself lives.
Through this artistic approach, Verim Zendeli does not aim merely for mimesis, but rather for an ontological engagement.
Artist
Born on July 8, 1984, in Gostivar, North Macedonia, Verim Zendeli has carved a distinguished path in the world of fine arts. In 2007, he graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts with a specialization in painting at the State University of Tetova, under the mentorship of Professor Nehat Beqiri. He furthered his education with a master’s degree in painting, completing his postgraduate studies in 2012/13 under Dr. Professor Zake Prelvukaj at the University of Pristina, Kosovo.
As the coordinator of the International Art Symposium “Struga”, an esteemed art symposium renowned throughout the Balkan countries and North Macedonia, he has played a pivotal role for nine consecutive years. In 2008, he contributed to an archeological excavation project at Tetovo Fortress. His passion for education led him to a teaching position as an art professor in a high school in Gostivar during 2009-2010. Since 2020, he has been an art professor at both the primary and high school levels at “Naim Frasheri” in Negotino-Gostivar.