Gazmend Freitag Biography

Gazmend Freitag is an Albanian painter from Kosovo. He was born on 25th of May, 1968 in
Pataani i Poshtm, Kosovo. He graduated from high school in Prizren and in 1988 he was
enrolled in law school in Prishtina. After the first year of study, the University of Prishtina was
closed to Albanians by the Serbian authorities and this caused the students to protest. Many of
students paid with their lives while others were arrested or prosecuted, including Gazmend, who
saw emigration as the only way out. In 1990 he decided to flee to Baden-Wrttemberg. Between
1990 and 2013 Gazmend attended various oil painting courses. Since 2004 he lives and works
as a painter in Linz, Austria and is represented in national and international exhibitions and art
fairs. He is married and the father of three daughters.

Gazmend Freitag is an artist who knows well the secrets of figuration and uses them to create
amazing works, on canvas, especially with portraits, he can express the emotions he observes
in his environment and opens up new stylistic dimensions.The artist offers shows on canvas his
reconstruction of reality, emphasizing the peculiarity of the faces he portrays, he is an
outstanding painter, who excels in showing people, landscapes and especially feelings with
brilliant colors and brush strokes. He mainly uses the techniques of oil painting and makes
drawings and graphics with pencil, chalk, and ink. He deals with the human figure, especially
with depictions of women. The landscapes show motifs of his native country Kosovo, but also
his new homeland Linz as well as other places in France and Italy.
The art of Gazmend Freitag is closely linked to his experiences as a Kosovo Albanian in the
Diaspora and it is quite natural for him to communicate with many people through his works.