Background
Born into a family of artists, Xhixha inherited his respect for the Fine Arts and passion for sculpting from his father.
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Helidon Xhixha
Edit ProfileEducation
While waiting to begin his studies at the Academy of Arts in Tirana, he decided to move to Italy where he attended the Brera Art Academy of Milan.
Career
He lives and works in Milan and Dubai. In 1998 Xhixha was awarded a scholarship to Kingston University, London, where he developed techniques in engraving, sculpting and photography. Graduating from the Brera Academy in February 1999 his creations included works in Murano glass and sculptures in stainless steel using innovative and specialised techniques.
In June 2007, Xhixha presented a sculpture at the Cornice Venice International Art Fair to pay tribute to the victims of 9/11.
The six meter tall monument entitled ‘Renaissance of the Twin Towers’ has been exhibited in numerous cultural capitals including Florence and Berlin. Utilising the imagery of the American Flag, the work becomes a symbol of civilisation whilst invoking contemporary ideas like those explored by Jasper Johns and Donald Judd.
The building, containing 68 condos, was designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, and Xhixha was commissioned to make a sculpture for every apartment. In addition to this, Xhixha’s five meter tall sculpture entitled ‘Vela’ was unveiled in June 2014 at the New Yacht Club of Monaco.
The monument, sculpted in 316 marine grade, mirror polished stainless steel, resembles a sail and stands tall next to the entrance of the club house at Quay level
The piece is inspired by the call of the sea, the contrast between life on land and at sea, between home and the unknown, and the passion for adventure. In 2015 Xhixha worked on a collaborative project with artist Omar Hassan to raise money for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles) in Miami. In London, Xhixha started a collaboration with the ContiniArtUK gallery, exhibiting his artworks in their space located in Mayfair.
Xhixha was commissioned to produce a large interactive sculpture for the 2015 Venice Biennale.
