Dhimitër Vangjel Buda

Dhimitër Vangjel Buda
Dhimitër Vangjel Buda
Born	15 May 1929; Berat, Albania
Died	26 May 1993; Berat, Albania
Known for	Sculptor, Painter, Teacher of art

Dhimitër Vangjel Buda

He was born on 15.5.1929 in the Gorica district of Berat. He attended primary school in his hometown. Since childhood, the talent for art stood out, mainly in sculpture. At the age of 6, together with his father Vangjeli, he accompanied the sick one to one of the hospitals in Athens and then to Rome. The treatment turned out to be fatal, he became an orphan at the age of 7. Even at this age, he showed interest and asked about every artistic work he saw in the premises of the characteristic houses of Gorica, Mangalem, and Kala, which he visited with the parents of his relatives, which they always kept close, fulfilling every pleasure as the only boy that he was. He had a desire to draw the Churches, Mosques, Teqe of Berat that were quite rich with handicrafts, such as the ceilings, the lids of the wall cupboards, the railings of the stairs carved in stone and wood with rare patience and aesthetics by Berata artisans since those years, there were many. During the summer vacations, he used river mud to create portraits of his friends, Pavli Xinxo, Lika Kolani, Piro Xheblati, as well as reliefs of the characteristic houses of Gorica and Mangalem. He regularly attended the drawing course at the age of 6-7 with the first drawing teacher, Dhimitër Çani. Professor Cani in secret

crossed the river wall and visited the natural studio of the Buda and his companions... Whose portrait is this, Professor Çani asked... of my close friend, Lika Kolani... teacher, please correct my eyes a bit... you answer NO, Çani, because I need to look at Lika first... like you made your face... we look alike, that's why we are friends... well done Dhimiter well done... you should raise your eyebrows a little and deepen your eyes, always pay attention to symmetry, the left and right arms should always be equal, but never forget the profile, the side views... and walk away satisfied without ever touching the mud with your hand.

One of the most beautiful busts of my teenage years that I've ever done, I'll never forget, was that of the Italian soldier we kept at home as a service worker. His name was Giusepe Simbola from Sardinia, with deep and benevolent eyes, but with a soft rabbit heart. For my father, I bought him a new suit, some shirts, collars and a thick fur coat. He was very intelligent, he learned the Albanian language well, but I also benefited a lot from him, words and expressions in the Italian language.

My grandmother used to shout from the corner, Giusepe, come and take the pan to the oven. He replied terrified, you preach signora io no and you turn to me begging me aiuti Dhimitër vai tu, you preach, like Giusepe si vado io I answered. With the liberation of Albania, together with many other Italians, he left, amidst tears and hugs, to his native land, with the promise that he would return one day. But you didn't survive.

In 1941-1942, he studied at the technical school in Aquila, Italy, with the mediation of Panajot Haxhimihali (Engineer Gen. Martyr of the Nation). From Berat were: Kozma Pushi, Shëlqim Gjergjani, Stavri Pushi, Anastasi Naco.

There he lives in the family of an Italian engineer, who in his spare time, deals with sculpture, mainly ecclesiastical icons and wood carvings. Seeing the tendencies for sculpture, Mr. Paulo created a corner in his studio, a table and an easel for modeling in clay, as well as some small wooden sticks which he carved with a rare skill and elegance. He asked Dhimitri to stay in Italy and adopt him, because they had no children, I promise him everything, but it was not possible... he returns to Albania.

In January 1943, together with many young Goricars such as Pavli Xinxo, Jani Buhuri, Ceni Taci, etc., they went to the village of Palikësh, where they were received by Vasil Sallabanda, who engaged them in support of the 7s brigade.

With the liberation of Albania, they return to their families. In 1947, he began his studies at the artistic high school Jordan Misja in Tirana, with a state scholarship.

He finished his studies with good grades in 1951 together with his classmates: Kristaq Rama, Shaban Hadëri, Thanas Papa, the first graduates in Albania in the branch of sculpture with pedagogy, Odise Paskali, Janaq Paco, Avduraim Buza, Sadik Kaceli . Andrea Mano.

He is deprived of the right to continue his higher studies abroad like his friends, since his father was an "apprentice craftsman". Before liberation, he together with his brother Gaqi Buda owned over 30 shops and a mini confectionery factory with the stamp "Buda" which were seized together with the house burned in Gorica during the war, which later became the offices of the council of the ROGL front in the Gorica neighborhood .

In 1951-1952, he was appointed as a sculptor-modeler at the sculpture-relief site, for the construction of the New Albania movie studio, in collaboration with Soviet engineers and architects, today the "Ministry of Culture". At the end of the work, he was awarded the first medal, for work with high artistic quality, for the construction of the new Albania cinema studio on 11.07.1952 by O. Nishani. In this same year, candidates for the Association of Writers and Artists of Albania are accepted. In 1954-1956 he performed military service in department 39.88 in the liaison regiment "Qemal Stafa" Tirana, as a sculptor he contributed to the establishment of the national museum of the liaison regiment, at the end of which he received the second medal, for quality work and level highly artistic. In 1957, he was appointed a drawing teacher at the pedagogic school in Berat. In 1958, he was accepted as a member of the Association of Writers and Artists of Albania, with full rights. From 1957-1984, he worked as a drawing teacher with reduced hours as a "creator" at the school "22 - Tetori" Berat. After retirement, he works as an external teacher by the hour at the artistic school "Ajet Xindole" in Berat.

The National Art Gallery in Tirana has in its fund several sculptures "The Discoverer" composition (plaster) sculpture "Minator" portrait (plaster) sculpture "Mehmet Elezi" bust (plaster) according to the Berat dedication newspaper written by Sulejman Fuga.

In the na-cl national war museum there was the composition "War Paths" composition (plaster). In the Ministry of Education and Culture in Tirana there was a sculpture of Jani Vruho bust (plaster) created on 18.10.1964 by order of Kristaq Rama, former director of the Tirana art gallery.

In the city of Berat, there were many sculptures: heroes, martyrs, partisans, workers, peasants, cooperatives, soldiers, etc.

While in the flowery squares of Berat, and in Skrapar, there were these sculptures:

1. Bust I (Stalin) in the flower garden of Çelepias neighborhood 12.12.1951

2. The statue (Invincible Partisan) in the old cemetery of the martyrs 1952

3. Statue of (Liberty) in the city center 1.5.1953

4. Bust of (Riza Ceroves) in the city of Skrapar, 1954

5. Bust of (Zylyftar Veleshje) in the city of Skrapar, 1956

6. Bust of (Lenin) in the flower garden in the center of the city 22.4.1957

7. Bust of (Hysen Rogut) in the city of Skrapar, 1958

8. Bust of (Ramiz Aranitas, in the city of Skrapar, 1959

9. Relief (B.D. Karbunara) Castle 1962

10. Relief (Stonemason) at the Mangalem mosque 12.05.1967

11. Creator of the bas-relief of (Democratic Government 1944) in the center of the city with collaborators Vangjel Papa, Janaq Anastasi 28.11.1969

All these sculptures were created in improvised studios in the basements of houses in the Gorica and Mangalem neighborhoods.

Opened several personal exhibitions

In 1956, he opened his first personal exhibition with 23 sculptures (Fiqiri Ymeraj wrote in his impression notebook in 1961). The second personal exhibition opens in 1961 with 25 works (according to Engjell Qafa, Asqeri Kadena evaluation from the 1961 exhibition. The third personal exhibition opens in 1971 (Myslym Hotova, Asqeri Kadena, Sotir Konci) according to the impression notebook of 1971 with 40 works. The fourth personal exhibition opens in 1987 with about 60 works according to (Njazi Zaberzani, Gramoz Hysenbelliu) the notebook of the impressions of this exhibition. The fifth personal exhibition planned in February 1993 with 80 works The architecture of my city" the vast majority of which were reliefs in plaster, copper, bronze, aluminum was not realized after being hospitalized and undergoing two consecutive operations, which were unsuccessful.

Also, in the city of Berat, he has set up over 27 exhibitions in collaboration with his fellow sculptors, painters, graphic artists and scenographers.

Throughout his life, he participated in almost all local and national exhibitions, in which he was awarded many prizes, commendations and 8 work medals. He has created over 200 sculptures and over 300 works in stone, wood, copper, bronze, aluminum, etc... photos of which are in the family album today "Art House".

He was awarded the title (Honored Artist) on 28.05.1979 by the presidium of the Tirana People's Assembly.

On 26.05.1993, he passed away at the age of 64, at the peak of his creativity without a "studio" working environment.

Without a studio, Dhimitër Buda (Honored Artist) started the arduous, tragic path of life and art in his hometown of Berat, where he worked and created sculpture for almost half a century.

from

(Lorenc Buda)

Moments from life

Colleague

IMPRESSIONS, MEMORIES, CONSIDERATIONS FROM DHIMITER BUDES'S CO-CONtemporaries: ARTISTS, PAINTERS, SCULPTORS ABOUT HIS ARTISTIC CREATION

Christian Rama

(Sculptor of the people)

Memories of the artistic lyceum "Jordan Misja" for my classmate Dhimitër Buda (Deserved Artist).

In September 1947, my friends and I started the first year of the artistic high school "Jordan Misja" in Tirana, in the branch of sculpture, which is directed by Odise Paskali. It was the second year of the opening of this school, there were few students, but they worked with a lot of passion and desire for the future. I remember with great fondness and respect my classmates Dhimitër Budë from the city of Berat, Shaban Hadëri from Delvina in Saranda and Thanas Papa from Paftali in Berat. We all worked together in a small lyceum classroom, which in the cold winter was heated by a small wood stove. We each had our own pedestal according to our body height. The first was Dhimitri, Shabani, me and Thanasi, according to an antique photo from those years. We worked with great commitment and desire to best fulfill the orders and tasks given by our teachers. Dhimitri, with his expressive character, does not explain with words and gestures the physiognomy of the portrait he created, formatting it cleanly. While Shabani gently modeled his portraits with a pictorial fracture, while Thanasi made a cold cerebral copy of the surface of the object he was working on, his greatest pleasure was when he cast them in plaster. I also remember with great respect our excellent pedagogues who stood by us and willingly gave us their experience and experience such as: Odise Paskali, Andrea Mone, Janaq Paco, Avduraim Buza, Sadi Kaceli. The lyceum years served us in cultural formation and in other arts such as music and theater, the performances of which we regularly attended in the popular and philanthropic theater. In 1951 we finished high school very well, graduating as sculptors. It was a great pleasure for us as the first graduates in Albania in this branch of art, which we celebrated with a modest social dinner. We were promised that we would attend higher studies at the academy of fine arts "Riepin" in Leningrad. But surprisingly that year the scholarships were cut. Shabani and Thanasi started working in Tirana in the arts committee that later turned into the national art gallery. Dhimitri was appointed to the site for the creation of works of art of the "New Albania" cinema studio, while I went to the army. In 1952, Shabani and Thanasi gave you the right to study at the academy of fine arts "Riepin" in Leningrad, in the Soviet Union. After finishing the army, I gained the right to continue my studies at the academy of fine arts "Riepin" in Leningrad. While Dhimitri went to the army, in the military liaison department in Tirana. There he was engaged in the establishment of the national museum of the "Qemal Stafa" liaison regiment. During these years we have kept close ties with each other. We exchange letters and greeting cards on the occasion of the holidays. When I came to Albania, I visited the cinema studio and the national museum of the liaison regiment together with Dhimitri. I was surprised, he had worked with great will and passion on a multitude of sculptures, busts, portraits, perfect reliefs, but as a reward he had received only two decorations. Dhimitri was a passionate, expressive and very qualitative sculptor. He regularly took part in national exhibitions as well as those that opened in the palace of culture in the city of Berat. I remember some of his outdoor sculptures in the city of Berat, such as: the "Victorious Partisan" statue in the martyrs' cemetery. The statue of "Peace" in the central square of the city. The bust of "Stalin", the bust of "Lenin" in the flower gardens of the city as well as the "Bazorelievi" of October 22, 1944, the formation of the first democratic government, in which we took photos. Some of his prominent sculptures that I remember were: the portrait of "The Old Man", "The Mountaineer", "Baresha", "Beethoven", "Oilman", "Skenderbeu", "X. Verdi", "Textile", "Aleksandër Moisiu", the composition "Câjmë oschimin" of "War Paths" and some admirable portraits and reliefs. I often went to Berat when we were students. Together with Shabani, we slept in his house in the Gorica neighborhood in the spacious corner with fresh air, although it was August, the night was very cool. We came out of the large cellars of Dhimitri's houses, full of grapes, figs, callas, persimmons and plums of various kinds. We took the basket filled with bottles of water and cold brandy out of the well with a winch. But the greatest pleasure was when we played "jatash" in the Osum river, throwing balls from the many plains by the river that with their greenery created a pleasant charm and freshness. These memories belong to the August vacations of the years 48-49, which were the most impressive vacations of my life in the city of Berat. We have not left a street of Mangalem, Gorica and Kala without visiting, but especially the famous churches and mosques of Berat, from which Shabani was surprised and amazed with the paintings and handicrafts of the famous Berat masters over the centuries. I remember that from the years 80-81, Dhimitri made his self-portrait with a mirror very skillfully. When I saw him in the studio in the mud, I was surprised and told him: "Pour as soon as possible, Dhimiter, because you cried." This was our dear friend Dhimitri, who ended his life very quickly at the highest peak of his creativity, leaving the city, his family, friends and art lovers beratas, creativity, memories and immense pleasure.

Christian Rama

(Sculptor of the people)

Tirana on 23.06.1993

Works


	Bust ne lulishten Stalin	1951
Image	Title/ subject	Date	Colleagues
	Partizani fitimtar	1952
	Pellumbi i paqes	1953
	Riza Cerova	1954
	Betoveni	1954
	Zylyftar Veleshnja	1955
	E pamposhtura	1956
	Hysen Rogu Corovod	1958
	Gjergj Kastriot Skenderbeu	1959
	Ramiz Aranitasi	1959
	Gjergj Kastriot Skenderbeu	1961
	Moter e vella	1962
	Jani Vruho	1964
	Naim Frasheri	1964
	Xha Haliti	1965
	Giuseppe Verdi	1967
	Minatori	1967
	Bazorelievi ne qender te Beratit	1968	Dhimiter Buda, Vangjel Papa, Janaq Anastasi. "Bashkautor"
	Zbuluesi	1968
	Bariu	1969
	Kufitari	1969
	Luftetari	1969
	Ne mbrojtje te atedheut	1969
	Kufitari	1970
	Ludwig van Beethoven	1970
	Sami Frasheri	1970
	Aleksander Moisiu	1971
	Vajza	1973
	Dukagjinasi	1974
	Shtigje lufte	1974
	Luftetari i lirise	1976
	Portret vajze	1976
	Ajet Xhindole	1978
	Ajet Xhindole	1978
	Portret malesori	1978
	Vajza e valeve	1979
	Partizani fitimtar	1979
	Punojme e mbrojme	1979
	Solange d’Angely "mjeke pediater" Paris	1982
	Koco Brisku	1983
	Cajme rethimin	1984
	Luftetari i lirise	1984
	Naftetari	1984
	Kompleksi popullor	1985
	Portret vajze	1985
	Lahuta e malesis	1986
	Portert vajze	1986
	Alqi Kondi	1987
	Motrat	1987
	Relieve ne gips	1987
	Relieve ne alumin	1988
	Nene e bije	1989
	Plazhistja	1989
	Trio	1989
	Nudo	1990
	Shemeria me Krishtin	1990
	Relieve	1991
	5 Njaket	1992
	Portret	1992
	Portret Vajze	1992

References