Mariana Kostandini is an Albanian photographer, curator, and art historian, based in Paris since 2006. She graduated from Ecole du Louvre in Contemporary Art and Panthéon-Sorbonne on social documentary photography. Engaging in photography since her young years, Mariana is particularly drawn to minimalist aesthetics, especially architectural photography. She published her first artist book 13e Ciel in September 2023.
Her projects as a curator include From Their Hands - Museum On/Off Centre Pompidou Paris, Archive of Voices with Maks Velo, all exhibitions of Parisian Art Association Projektor, which she created in aim to promote young artists in unusual and informal spaces in Paris. She is a member of Saloon Art Network since September 2022.
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I was born in an Albanian family of documentary photographers as my mother’s uncles Pandi, Misto and Sotiraq Cici, were among the first ones in the region. Their work nourished my love for photography and confirmed me the power of storytelling. Later on, during my Art History studies, the humanist photography strongly impressed me by its capacity to testify and preserve memory. My interest was also progressively captivated by urban and architecture with a minimalistic yet poetic approach observing the city, testifying its metamorphosis and preserving the memory of public space as a valuable data. This approach, which is more critical than contemplative, has been nourished also by the fact that I’ve been eye witnessing with sadness the brutal urban transformation of my homeland Albania’s architectural landscape since the 90s. So since very early, I have been challenged to find balance and beauty in the metropolis chaos
Shows
"Vazhdë" - Curating with Care, group exhibition in Bazament Art Space, Tirana Albania curated by Tirana Art Lab, December 2023
La Chambre Verte, festival d'art contemporain, group exhibition, Saint-Sulpice d'Auteuil France, September 2022
Community Issue #120, group exhibition, F-Stop Magazine, August 2023
Tirana Photo Festival, participation, September 2022
Perchance to Dream - Onufri Prize XIX, Finalist, curated by Daniele Capra, National Gallery of Arts, Tirana Albania, December 2012
When you're strange, solo photo exhibition, Faitout bar, Paris France, 2012
Publications
13e Ciel - Artist book, book launch, Paris France, 30 September 2023
Revue-sur-mesure, article on 13e Ciel book, November 2023
Albania/Germany - A Diary in Photos, preface text of exhibition's catalogue, Tirana Art Lab, 2011
Curation - Art Projects
Member of Saloon Paris, september 2022
Projektor - Art Association Paris France, co-founder together with Ines Henzler, various activities from 2014 to 2020 promoting young artists in unusal and informal places
Les Balkannes, jury member for the photo festival organised by Contempl'art Paris, together with Milomir Kovacevic and Andrea Vamos, 2022
"Tell me about Europe" - Archive of Voices Project, curated by Arbeit an Europa, interview with artist Maks Velo, 2019
"From Their Hands" space with Matali Crasset and Endri Dani, curated by Mariana Kostandini during the Musem On/Off Exhibition curated by Alicia Knock, Centre Pompidou, Paris France, 2016
Mikropolis - Solo show Anastas Kostandini, curated by Mariana Kostandini, Fab Gallery, Tirana Albania, 2012
Education
2012 Master's Degree in Social Photography (on Mary Ellen Mark, under the supervision of Michel Poivert), Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris France
2011 Master's Degree in Visual Arts and Music (on Pendulum Music of Steve Reich, under the supervision of Patrick de Haas), Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris France
2010 Degree "Premier cycle" of Ecole du Louvre (Contemporary Art profile), Paris France
2010 Licence in Art History (Contemporary Art profile), Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris France
2007 Licence in Musicology, La Sorbonne, Paris France
2004 Artistic Bachelor Degree, Artistic Lyceum Jordan Misja (violin), Tirana Albania