On May 16, 2023, the restoration of the magnificent ‘Albania’ mosaic mural, created with Orsoni Venezia 1888 enamel glass, was celebrated on the facade of the National History Museum in Tirana.
The restoration of the 565 square meter mosaic, originally created in 1981 by five distinguished Albanian artists – Agim Nebi-u, Droboniku, Kostandini, Kilica, and Filipi – was made possible thanks to the support of the Ministry of Culture (Minister Elva Margariti) and Europe (UNOPS) through EU4Culture Albania.
Following the original design, the mosaic and its subsequent restoration were carried out using Orsoni Venezia 1888 Venetian ‘smalti’. The work, from its inception in the 1980s until the recent restoration, was supervised, followed, and guided by the Grand Master of Albania, Agim Nebiu, an artist, professor, painter, mosaicist, and caring father not only of this great artwork but of many other works in Albania and other European countries.
The team from EU4CultureAlbania took on an incredible challenge by meticulously documenting the mosaic, tile by tile, and recording 123 different color tones. They also involved students from the University of Tirana in the work.
This approach not only provided additional support to the experts but also gave the students an opportunity to gain practical experience by working alongside experienced professionals and applying their theoretical knowledge. To create the mosaics for the restoration project, a delegation visited the Orsoni furnace in Venice to select all the necessary colors.
The restoration project was possible thanks to UNOPS and the European Union (EU) joining forces for the EU4Culture project in Albania, one of the largest EU programs for cultural heritage, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of Albania.
