Jon Kraja graduated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Albania and began his art career in the 1990s after the fall of communism in Albania, producing surprising concepts in set design and gestural, large-scale abstract and figurative painting. Kraja’s practice is characterized by constant research and experimenting with new materials and media.
Central to his artistic philosophy is a fascination with the unknown and the transformative power of lifeless objects. His works invite viewers to contemplate the deeper meaning and utility of everyday life, provoking introspection and evoking a sense of wonder.
His life is a delicate equilibrium, forged in the fragrance of linseed oil in his grandfather Master Kole Shiroka’s studio, and the scent of grassy fields from his childhood, driven by a desire not to score goals, but to create spectacle. For the artist painting is pain, love, and emotion.
He lives each day as if it’s his last, yet tomorrow always comes, and he begins again with the same thought.