Mikel Temo Greko
“Absence & Silence” is the credo of my creation. It is this that I try to achieve and that which is the source of my creativity. That is a spiritual status of emptiness that brings me to new haven and a new earth, immersing me to wonderful world of colors and images. When I am working I lose all sense of time and place. I experience a state of consciousness quite common but nonetheless magical. It is the same meditating state experienced by monks. In this state of grace, the paintings begin to take shape seemingly on their own accord. A completed painting is the pinnacle of this spiritual journey. A “non forced preparation”, is the vision I hope to achieve. Forms and colours are born together. I do not have a format as I begin but adopt one as I go. My first thoughts are worked on a small surface. It isn’t until I have worked numerous sketches and drafts that I then bring this to a larger scale. In my work I try to reveal the expression of the mind and soul and their interaction together. My art ranges from an unconscious spiritual statement to an abstract image, offering the viewer another perspective, another reality and another language. The technique used helps me achieve my goal which is to emphasize the spiritual essence of abstraction and the interaction during this process.
Mikel Temo Greko
Born in 1964 in the town of Korca in the south of Albania, Mikel Temo Greko inherited a familial artistic tradition and started painting in early childhood. While studying painting and drawing at the Academy of Arts in Tirana, capital of Albania (1982-1986) he discovered the art forms prohibited at that time: impressionism, cubism, expressionism and surrealism.
From 1986 to 1998, Mikel shared his knowledge and love of contemporary art with his students at the Art School of Tirana but it was only after trips to Italy and France that his work turned more explicitly abstract. In 1991 he founded the Association of the Albanian Independent Painters and Sculptors and in 1997 received a PhD in Arts.
Mikel Temo Greko has been widely exhibited throughout Europe. He immigrated to Canada in 2000 and continues to paint in Vancouver, British Columbia.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
• 2003 Bari Design Gallery, Richmond, Canada
• 2001 French Alliance, Vancouver, Canada
• 2000 European Community, Tirana, Albania
• 1999 “Les Portes Ouvertes” organized by the Montreuil City Hall, France
• 1999 Albanian Embassy, Paris, France
• 1999 Europe Hall, Laval, France
• 1998 “Les Portes Ouvertes”, Montreuil, France
• 1997 XXI Gallery, Tirana, Albania
• 1996 Greenwood Gallery, Seattle - WA, USA
• 1994 Kordic Gallery, Velika Gorica, Zagreb, Croatia
• 1993 National Centre of Culture, Annecy, France
• 1992 Amimoni Gallery, Yoannina, Greece
• 1992 National Art Gallery, Tirana, Albania
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
• 2002 International Biennale of Austria 2002, Kragenfurt, Austria
• 2002 Ballardlederer Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
• 2001 Artropolis 2001 Canadian Broadcasting Center Building,Vancouver, Canada
• 1998 National Art Gallery “Mediterranea N.1” Albania-Italy, a common cultural horizon, Tirana, Albania
• 1997 National Art Gallery, “ONUFRI” annually exhibition, Tirana, Albania
• 1996 National Art Gallery, “ONUFRI” annually exhibition, Tirana, Albania
• 1995 National Art Gallery, “ONUFRI” annually exhibition, Tirana, Albania
• 1995 Passage Prive Gallery, Albanian Painting Exhibition, Lyon, France
• 1993 Grand Palais, annually exhibition of French artists, Paris, France
• 1993 National Art Gallery, exhibition of the Association Albanian Independent Painters and Sculptors, Tirana, Albania
• 1993 Zumbulaqi Gallery, Albanian Contemporary Art Exhibition, Athena, Greece
• 1991 National Art Gallery, exhibition of the Association Albanian Independent Painters and Sculptures, Tirana, Albania
• 1989 National Art Gallery, “Fall” exhibition, Tirana, Albania
• 1987 National Art Gallery, “75th Anniversary of Albania Independence”, Tirana, Albania
• 1986 Shkodra Art Gallery, “Marubi” exhibition, Shkodra, Albania
• 1982 Academy of Arts Gallery, Young Artists Exhibition, Tirana, Albania
• 1981 Korca Art Gallery, “Fall” exhibition, Korca, Albania
REVIEWS AND CATALOGUES PUBLICATIONS
• 1998 Mediteranea N.1, Albania - Italy, a common cultural horizon. Published by the National Historical Museum and the National Art Gallery (October 1998, catalogue, p. 90, 91)
• 1997 Contemporary Art of Central and Eastern Europe, Guide Apollonia, Council of Europe Publishing. (Guide September 1997 p.40)
• 1997 Pamor Art, published by National Art Gallery, (review p.23)
• 1994 “Slikarstvo Poleta” published by Kordic Gallery (February 1994, catalogue)
• 1993 The Albanian Independent painters and sculptors, “SOROS” foundation publishing (November 1993, catalogue p. 18)
• 1993 Les Artistes Francais, Salon Grand Palais 1993 (published under the care of Mr. Jacques Toubon, Minister of Culture and Phrancophony, September 1993, catalogue, p.163)
GRANTS AND AWARDS
• 1998 Madre Teresa di Calcutta, published by the National Post Department, Albania-Italy, (first stamp price, September the 5th, 1998,)
• 1997 National Art Gallery, “ONUFRI” exhibition, (Onufri price, 1997)
• 1997 Ph.D. Psychological Fundamentals of the Creation in the Figurative Arts
• 1997 The 70th Anniversary of the first Albanian National Bank Foundation, (first stamp price, September 25th 1997)
• 1996 Famous Philosophers and Mathematicians, (first stamp price, September 20th, 1996)
• 1996 The 50th UNICEF Anniversary, (first stamp price, November 20th, 1996).
• 1995 Elvis Priestly, 60th Birth Anniversary, (first stamp price, November 20th, 1995)
• 1994 EUROPA’ 94, published by the Post State Department,(first stamp price, February 1994)
COLLECTIONS
• The National Art Gallery, Tirana, Albania
• The Academy of the Fine Arts, Tirana, Albania
• National Historic Museum, Tirana, Albania
• European Council, Tirana, Albania
• Amimoni Gallery, Yoannina, Greece
• XXI Gallery, Tirana, Albania
• Various private collections, Albania, Italy, France, Austria, Swiss, USA
ASSOCIATIONS
• Founder & Vice President of the Albanian Independent Painters and Sculptors, 1991–1998
• Board member of the Albanian League of the Artists, 1996–1997
• Founder & Vice President of the Albanian Stylists and Dress - makers, 1997–1998
• Founder & President of the First Private Art – Designer School “ Vangjush Mio”, Tirana, Albania 1997-1998