I met Gezim for the first time at a reception hosted by the British Embassy, in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday. He was there for the unveiling of his hyper-realistic portrait of Her Majesty and her husband, Prince Phillip, and it was then that I decided he was someone I would like to interview.
At just 29 years old, Gezim Meta has already achieved an extraordinary amount of things. He owns and runs two successful bars, operates a call centre business, has recorded grime and hip-hop tracks (soon to be released), been in several well-known films, and has conquered the world of hyper-realistic art. This number of achievements would be impressive in a lifetime, let alone in just over a decade, yet Gezim remains as humble as one could be.
After the fall of communism and the chaos that ensued as a result of the government-backed Ponzi schemes, Gezim Meta and his family left Albania and moved to Germany. At the age of three, he picked up a pencil and started sketching the world around him. The first object that caught his attention was a sparkling water bottle which he faithfully recreated with painstaking detail. Despite not being able to write at this young age, Gezim was able to perfectly replicate the text on the bottle, just by drawing it. It was then that his family realised he had a special talent- one that should be nurtured and encouraged at every opportunity.
Whilst he was growing up, his attention, like most other young boys, was drawn to football. A keen player, it got to the point where his father asked him to choose between art and football, giving him a gentle nudge and saying “whilst you are a great footballer, you are a better artist”. From there his mind was made up. Gezim did not attend any art school or college and instead is completely self-taught. The teachers that tried to help him along the way often became frustrated because even as a young boy, there was not much that they could teach this prodigy.
As a child, he sketched the people and things around him, but he developed a penchant for people as he grew fond of the way in which he could present their character, emotions, and personality through his drawings. His images were more than just two-dimensional sketches, from a young age he was able to show the soul of his subject, something that keeps him hooked to this day.
He tells me of a time he met his idol, German footballer Roy Prager saw his paintings and portraits and asked young Gezim if he could work his magic on him, but there was a twist. He challenged him to complete the image in just 15 minutes. 11-year-old Gezim accepted and found himself sketching his idol during the halftime period of a big match, right in the middle of a stadium. Prager and his teammates were amazed by the image he produced, gave him 3000 marks, and even gave him a small exhibition of his work.
Upon returning to Albania, Gezim set about making his mark on the world. Turning away from art, for the time being, he started several businesses in Albania and Kosovo, as well as opening two bars in Tirana. Working hard at his success, he felt that something was missing from his life and that thing was a paintbrush and paints.
His first hyper-realistic painting was of a friend and colleague and was something of a challenge. Seeing a portrait that had previously been painted of this individual, he was sure that he could do better. After discovering the vast amount of money that had been paid for this sub-standard portrait, he said: “if I can paint it better, pay me half of what you paid for the other”. His subject agreed and over two months, Gezim spent almost every waking hour working on the portrait. It was then that he noticed this new style emerging- he had stumbled upon hyperrealism.
Hyperrealism is a genre of painting where the level of detail and the quality of the image is either the same as, or surpasses that of a high-resolution photograph. It is considered a step beyond photorealism and the movement really took hold during the 1970s due to a dissatisfaction with the standard of art being produced. Today, it is one of the most respected art forms in the world- the level of skill and patience required to complete such works is beyond my comprehension and I cannot imagine the dedication that is needed.
His pieces are more than just a work of art- they are a representation of perseverance. Spending up to 20 hours a day painting, a single painting can take anywhere between 2 and 8 months to complete. He describes his internal competitiveness as his biggest motivator- refusing to admit or even consider defeat and instead, continuing right until the end. When I ask if he is ever truly satisfied with his work, he laughs and tells me that he is always noticing flaws in his work and as a perfectionist, he is always striving to be better- quite how one could surpass this level of work, I don’t know!
His acting career happened quite by accident after Albanian actor Drillon Hoxha, met Gezim in one of his bars. He felt that Gezim had the right look and style for the film, as well as being super impressed by his artistic talent. From appearing in Drejt Fundit, other opportunities were soon forthcoming. In 2016, he appeared in Pit Stop Mafia directed by Fatmir Koci, and in 2017 he had a role in a collaborative production between the UK, Albania, and Croatia, entitled Elvis Walks Home. He also tells me that he has landed a role in an upcoming international production that is due to start filming in Albania shortly. I ask what he would do if he was made to choose between being a world-famous actor, or continuing his painting and without hesitation, he tells me that he would choose art without a doubt; “painting and drawing is my passion”.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkNaDXTn4Sx/?taken-by=thebalkanista
We met in on of his bars- “Godfather Lounge” just off Rruga Kavajes. The interior is all designed and painted by him, with help from his hands-on father. With black and white tiled floors, gangster-themed murals on the walls, and dollar bills covering the ceiling, it is an impressive sight. Whilst one part of the bar is dedicated to the theme, the other is his studio- his works, paints, and equipment takes over one entire corner and he sits here, working away whilst the world passes by around him. Using a palette of just three colours and white, he creates the most amazing pictures that make reality look a little bit dull. It is no surprise that his work has caught the attention of people in high places and his work is being sought after by high-level collectors
One of his latest images is of a child wrapped in a bloody bandage, being lifted out of what looks like a warzone. But this image is more than it seems- not only does it represent the war in Syria and the innocence of many of the victims involved, but it also represents how he feels about Albanian society. The injured, crying child represents the society and the people, the background represents what is happening around us- corruption, crime, and other social issues, and the hand grabbing the child is what is needed to pull us out of this situation. It is a deeply moving image and Gezim tells me that the model was a young Roma child and the special effects makeup was created by his sister.
For me, it is such an unexpected mixture- someone who idolises the world of gangster films and UK grime, yet that can dedicate themselves to painting a 92-year-old woman in such exquisite detail. His motivation behind panting the Queen was inspired by the fact that she is a bright, colourful, powerful and inspiring woman, as well as her and her husband being huge art lovers. When it comes to the Godfather theme of his bars and his work playing gangsters in movies, he tells me that it is because he wants to take this harsh genre and turn it into art. It is not idolising violence, but rather making something positive out of it.
At the moment Gezim Meta is ranked as one of the 37 best hyperrealistic artists in the world- quite an achievement for that young boy who once sketched a sparkling water bottle at the age of 3. His future projects include several high profile commissions and he assures me that he has several exciting projects in the works.
We finish our conversation discussing the need for more artistic appreciation in Albania, agreeing that people need to stop and appreciate the beauty of what is around them. His advice for budding young artists? Stay focused and love what you do.
Visit his website here: www.gezimmeta.com
Follow him on Instagram here
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