Ismet Jonuzi

Ismet Jonuzi


Ismet Jonuzi is a sculptor.
Works and lives in Prishtina, Kosovo


"I want to express through it who we are, how we live and die.Was born on 9th February 1961 in Rahovica 1986 Scolarship Internationale Des Arts Paris1996 Heinrich Boll Schtiftung Germany.


"My art, like my life, carries the scars of a bloody war.
My art is direct and symbolic, and my desire to tell a story, the story of my homeland and my people is my passion.
I maintains a studio in Prishtina, Kosova.
I use the very same weapons from the war in Kosova to make my sculptures.
I discovered them in factory where they were collected to be destroyed.
These weapons have been made useless, and in a way, I have given them new
life. What better way to openly demonstrate the war is over.
I was always fascinated by the Nouveau-Realists such as César Baldaccini and Jean Tinguely, as I always try to do something strange and unknown.
For a long time I have collected different found objects and materials to make my
sculptures, such as car parts or everyday objects from life.
But weapons, for me, are the most powerful material.
They are the only objects which speak concretely about the war and the violence.
With these weapons I can explain the reality of war in my Country.
These are the actual weapons people fought with.
Machine-guns, Kalashnikovs and knives that are made to take lives and destroy them . Through the shape, line and volume I have tried to express the drama that we have experienced as a community in this part of the Balkans. My work represents the wounded soul of my homeland.
From the very first moment, when I saw the weapons, I immediately felt strange and afraid.
Weapons are fear, war, power and death. For a long time I had them in my studio before I could do anything. I would think to myself, what should I do with all of them. That is when I started to make my sculptures. An even though they are sculptures to the
viewer, they still remain weapons to me."

Ismet Jonuzi

Prizes

1996 - The 10 artist of Duren - City Prize Duren,D
2004 - First Prize Exhibition Kosova Art Asotiation Prishtina,Ks
2005 - Third Prize International Miniprint Tetovo,Mk
2006 - First Prize International Exhibition Muslim Mulliqi Prize Kosova Art Gallery Prishtina,Ks
2007 - Grand Prix 4th International Drawing Competition Melbourne, Australia
2009 - Mention Honorable awardInternational Drawing Competition Melbourne,Australia ,
2011- Third Prize in 6th International Drawing Competition Melbourne,Australia ,
2012- Competiton Art Revolution Taipei
The winner of Best in Show