Gjoci works with oil paints to create a majestic body of work showing the feminine body. Her style is a beautiful combination of abstract geometry and a dreamlike ambience that brings any viewer in to her world. She has been ranked as the next great icon of art.
Instagram: @ornelagjoci
Q: How would you describe yourself and your work?
A: I am Ornela Gjoci. I am 25 years old and I am from Albania. I studied at the Tirana Academy of Arts (Albania) and the study program was graphic. In 2017 I started painting. That same year I was ranked by "Phoenix" London magazine as one of the eight artists "who are our next great icon of art". This year I have participated in some exhibitions but I will describe to you the most important ones. "The eternal feminine" at the Italian embassy in Tirana. An exhibition devoted to females where the top 36 Albanian artists participated. This year I was a participant in art fair Milano 2019 where I was named "Corriere della serra" "come outsider".
My theme in painting is "women". I chose this topic because I want to heighten the female figure and this is what I want to tell it through my compositions. In the past few months I have been preparing for my first personal exhibition.
I have always wanted to find a way to make people understand me without me having to speak, and I found painting as the way to express myself more accurately than words ever could. My job is my need to create something that is completely mine.
Q. Can you describe to us your busy working day?
A. The day in my studio starts early in the morning. My favorite time to work on paintings is between 6am to10am. A large part of the time I spent on technical experiments but I am always vigilant to find the right moment to return to painting.
Q. With everything that it happening this year especially during this pandemic, How has that affected your art? What are the kind of challenges you are facing and how do you continue to find inspiration and motivation?
A. This year has been a difficult one and I hope that everything will go back to normal as soon as possible. When it all began, I thought that it would only affect the sales part of the paintings but in reality the opposite happened. I could feel how this was affecting me also in the way I looked at things. Another difficulty was buying the materials since everything was closed, but doing something you love makes the hardships look easier, so I found alternative ways to provide myself the materials. Frankly, painting has been the most relaxing thing to do during these times.
Q. Your artwork contains a vibrant variation of colors, How do you chose which colors of paint to use in your paintings?
A. My study program at the Academy of Arts was graphics. When I started painting 3 years ago I was not as colorful as I am today. However, along the way I realized I was looking for something more challenging. Working with contrasts is more difficult because the combinations and balances are more complex and require a more intense concentration and logic. Also, I stick to my rules during the work process and this makes it easier and helps me create an artistic identity.
Q: What advise wold you have for aspiring artists? What factors do you think have contributed to your success?
A: Everything starts as a passion. Then there are the desires and efforts to turn it into a profession. "I look at painting as a problem that I create by solving it." The most important thing I have followed from the beginning is that there is no compromise with the technical part. This is where it all begins. The moment passion turns into a profession, give it the right seriousness. "Do it as a job and enjoy it as a hobby." Work with yourself. Learn to follow instinct.
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