The Contemporary Art Gallery in Tirana (“GOCAT”) is opening its doors to the newest exhibition, ‘Abito Mari’, by the well-known Italian artist Fabrizio Bellomo.

Organized by Mane Foundation and supported by the Italian Cultural Institute in Tirana, this solo exhibition by the multidisciplinary artist is part of the Italian Culture Week. It will be open at the “GOCAT” Gallery until July 12.

“Abito Mari” is not just a regular exhibition; it is a personal and meaningful project by the artist. It invites visitors to discover the history and culture of the Mediterranean, focusing on the links between Italy and Albania and what these two countries have in common. This is shown through videos, installations, and photographs.

The gallery features a collection of works made by Fabrizio Bellomo over the last twenty years, which he introduced at the exhibition’s opening event.

“Through these works, I brought a theme that felt very close to me, both as a person and as an artist. It comes from my Calabrian roots and the idea that Calabria is very similar to Albania. For me, ‘Abito Mari’ is like the destination of a journey close to my heart, to explore a shared language of cities, where everyday life, urban design, and architecture connect you with stories and people,” said Fabrizio Bellomo.

For the exhibition’s curators, Ardian Isufi and Elton Koritari, ‘Abito Mari’ is an artistic exploration of the corners of Italy and Albania, reflecting parallel experiences and stories.

“Even though people live in different places, they can face similar problems, experiences, and memories. While this is shown through visual language, you can also feel the artist’s call to society to take a deep look at injustices, marginalized areas, and much more,” said Ardian Isufi.

Curator Elton Koritari also said that ‘Abito Mari’ is an exhibition based on a strong idea and vision, one that only a gallery like “GOCAT” could welcome and give the attention it deserves.

The works in the exhibition show an artist with a broad and experimental approach, whose research moves clearly from the real world to the digital one. The whole project uses a popular artistic language that reveals the complexity of the social structure in the two neighboring countries. This popular language is supported by specific and local works created through Bellomo’s collaboration with craftsmen and local communities.

One of the works shown to local art lovers in the ‘Abito Mari’ exhibition at “GOCAT” Gallery is “Villaggio Cavatrulli.” It is a photo collage that focuses mainly on rethinking the current practice of stone quarrying.

With this project, Fabrizio Bellomo was invited to take part in the 16th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale.

Over the years, the artist has held several solo exhibitions at important cultural and art institutions. Some examples are “Nziembr” at Fondazione Elpis in Milan in 2024, and “Meccanicismo” at KCB Kulturni Centar Beograda in Serbia in 2018.

“Abito Mari” is his latest exhibition, now showing at the Contemporary Art Gallery in Tirana (“GOCAT”), a space gifted by Mane Foundation to the entire art community.