TIRANA – “Maks Velo has left a precious heritage,” has said the well-known publicist, Ben Andoni while paying homage to Albanian artist, architect and writer who died last Thursday at the age of 84.
Velo got medical treatment in a hospital in Tirana where he lived, media reported on Friday without providing any information about his death. A few people attended the burial ceremony on Friday because of the pandemic during which homage was paid to him.
“Maks is alive again. His great model of the engaged citizen is a model for all of us,” said the well-known publicist, Ben Andoni at the funeral on Friday.
Velo was born in Paris in 1935 but his parents returned to their native Albania shortly after. He conducted his studies at the Polytechnic Institute of Tirana in the Department of Civil Engineering, graduating in 1957. He spent several years working for the government, working on a number of projects including hotels, schools, villas and parks.
He was the architect of ‘The Palace of Cubes’ in downtown Tirana. This iconic building was home to a number of artists and intellectuals, including Ismail Kadare. In 1978 Velo was imprisoned for eight years by the communist regime for his ‘modernist tendencies’. He also claims he was asked to become an informer for the Sigurimi (state security) and when he refused as it is reported he was sent to the infamous Spac prison camp in northern Albania.
The Tirana Mayor, Erion Veliaj who was also among the few people present in the funeral said Velo spent half of his life in prison. “He has inspired us all,” said Veliaj.
After the 90’s and the fall of communism, Velo published several books and photographic albums on topics including poetry, folkloric art, social realism, and his memoirs. He has exhibited his work in the US, Poland, Rome and Russia. He was considered somewhat controversial for his comments regarding northern Albanians, Kosovo Albanians, and Islam winning a bad reputation among a wide segment of the population. But Velo was known for his contempt for tyranny and dictatorship and he became an active member of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights in 1992. /argumentum.al
