EDUCATION
2017 | Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), University of Dundee, DJCAD Dundee, UK
-Art, Society and Publics: Artistic Research and Creative Writing
2012 | Bachelor and Integrated Master of Arts (M.A.), Athens School of Fine Arts, Athens, Gr
-Studio Practice: Painting, Sculpture, Scenography, and Photography
-Special Courses: Art Teacher in Secondary Education/Psychoanalytic Approaches to Art
Related Education
Jun. 2025 | Art4Resilience, Training course with SCI Austria, It
Feb.2017 | Exhibition Curatorial with Sarah Cook, University of Dundee, UK
Mar. 2017 | Creating an Artist’s Book with My BookCase, University of Dundee, UK
Apr. 2017 | Artist’s Book Seminar with the Director of DCA, Dundee, UK
Feb.-May | 2015 Metal Work Casting, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshops, UK
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCETeaching Experience
20021 – 2022 | Art Teacher Practice, Onufri High School, Elbasan, Al
2007-2011 | Art Teacher: Kolitzeras School of Arts (Art Foundation Course), Athens, Gr
Certificate
2025 | Certificate. A5: Art4resilience, Austria
2025 | Certificate of Artistic Achievement, Luxembourg Pinacotheque
2022 | Certificate of Practice. ZVAP-DRAP Albania
Related Experience (selected)
2013-present | Self-employed, Visual Artist: Creative Doer, Curator, Art Technician, Stage Technician, Props Making, Art Commissions, Al, Gr, UK
2025-present | Author, Meer Magazine, Online
2024 | Production Designer, 303 Short Film, Tirana, Al
2023-2024 | Project Coordinator, Tek Bunkeri (NGO), Tirana, Al
2023 | Production Designer, The Exile Short Film, Tirana, Al
2022 | Photographer and Content Writer, ETG Tourism, Elbasan, Al
2018 | Organizer and Curator, Identity: Artist Residency, Edinburgh St. Margaret’s House, UK
2015 | Workshop Assistant, Sculpture Workshops Edinburgh, UK
2015 | Plastic Painter/Sculptor, National Opera of Greece, Athens, Gr
2010-2012 | Production Assistant/Stage Technician, National Opera of Greece and Athens Festival Epidaurus,
Athens, Gr
GRANT/RESIDENCY
2026 (Jul.) | Residency – European Artistic Program, Barcelona-Paris, R.A.R.O Barcelona, Es
2026 (Jul.) | Mobility Grant – CC4WB
2025-2026 | Grant – Self in Flux: Persona and the Veiled Self, Swiss Cultural Funds Albania, Al
2025 | Residency – Art4resilience, Service Civil International Österreich, Cagliari, It
2024 | Artist Grant – Artist Exhibition Honorary, Gallery of Art Tirana, Tirana, Al
2018 | Residency – Identity, St. Margaret’s House Edinburgh, UK
EXHIBITIONSolo (selected)
2026 | Mercurius, Independent site-specific exhibition, Elbasan, Al
2024 | Inward, Gallery of Art Tirana, Al
2024 | The Present Past, Former Prison of Spaç Cultural Monument, Mirdita, Al
2022 | Unknown Collective, TE’Galeria, Tirana, Al
2021 | Inner States, Argonaut Art Factory, Tirana, Al
2017 | Master’s Show, DJCAD University of Dundee, UK
Group (selected)
2023 | ME’NDJE Hapur, TE’Galeria, Tirana, Al
2022 | A Room Aside, Salon of Autumn, Gallery of Shkodra, Al
2021 | RiArt, TE’GAleria, Tirana, Al
2021 | Colours of Politics, Argonaut Art Factory, Tirana, Al
2019 | Biennale of Self-portrait, Albanian National Museum, Tirana, Al
Selected Commissions
2024 Public Art
– Legend of Berat, large-scale painting (5×14 m), acrylic on building. Berat, Al
– Onufri and Berat, large-scale painting (4×14 m), acrylic on building. Berat, Al
– Nan e Bir, large-scale painting (4×11 m), acrylic on building. Durrës, Al
PUBLICATIONS/INTERVIEWS (selected)Prints
– Visual Art Journal, Issue #26, May 2025, https://visualartjournal.com/
– Zara, Kristian. 2024. “Poetika e Hapësirës Jo-Fizike.” Fora, 2024. ISSN: 3078-5553
– Touran, Cemil, and Kristian Zara. 2017. Χρώματα Που Μυήθηκαν Στις Ζωές Μας. Athens: Papazisi.
– K. Zara, Meta-Morphosi: Artist’s Book, 2017.
– Master’s Students: A Questionnaire for Self-understanding (Self Published, 2017).
Online
– STRATUM Journal, Mercurius and the Psychology of an Art Project, Apr. 2026. ISSN: 3070-8869
https://www.elsehereglobal.com/post/mercurius-and-the-psychology-of-an-art-project
– Meer Magazine. 2025 (on going), https://www.meer.com/en/97653-self-in-flux-the-poetics-of-authenticity
– Klan, “E Kaluara E Tashme”, Një Ekspozitë e Rrallë në Spaç.” YouTube, 18 Apr. 2024,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4s1qWR-AgE
– Unops_admin. 2024. “The Present Past – Former Political Prisoners Spaç, Eu4Culture.” April 15, 2024.
https://eu4culture.al/the-present-past-former-political-prisoners-return-to-spac-to-share-the-stories-of-survival-and-shed-light-into-albanias-dark-past/
– RevArt. https://revart.co/blogs/280_Kristian_Zara_The_Alchemy_of_Memory_and_Transformation
– RTSH. “Arti Konceptual – Kristian Zara | ‘Transkulturë’ Në RTSH 2,” November 7, 2024.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpJNsFq8reE&t=1s
– “Zërat dhe Maskat e të Dënuarve në Spaç | ‘Në Tempull’ Nga Anisa Ymeri,” May 4, 2024.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0IjavcJNgg&t=3s