The Société Gallery in Berlin takes on the management of Rama "the artist": art, image or political diplomacy?

The prestigious Société Gallery in Berlin has announced the representation and management of the artistic career of Prime Minister Edi Rama. In the international practice of contemporary art, such representation does not only mean exhibition space, but complete management of the artist's image and presence in the global art market.

Société gallerists are expected to choose which works will be displayed, which exhibitions and fairs they will participate in, and will help position Rama in the international market. With this move, the gallery becomes a strategic partner in building Rama’s image as an “artist,” beyond his role as prime minister.

From politics to art – a dual career

Known more for his political activity than for his artistic creativity, Rama has exhibited his works in several countries around the world, including France, Germany, Italy, Greece and the United States.

In the world of international galleries, representing an artist is not limited to organizing an exhibition, but includes career management, image strategy, and building a public profile.

In this context, art has become a means of political communication for Rama, a way to build new perceptions and cultivate a refined profile in the international arena. Domestically, this approach is reflected in the combination of art with institutional spaces, where the Prime Minister's Office offices are filled with paintings and sculptures created by him.

Rama has also turned art into a diplomatic tool, donating paintings from his canvases to foreign dignitaries. In this way, Rama seems to have transformed artistic creativity into a soft tool of power, through which he projects a modern, creative and "different" image from the traditional politicians of the region.

Hong Kong Exhibition and links with CEFC

However, not all of Rama's exhibitions have been without controversy. One of them was the solo exhibition "Calendar Blossoms", held in Hong Kong in November 2015.

The event was organized and sponsored by CEFC China Energy Company Limited, a Chinese conglomerate where Dorian Duçka, identified as "Person B" in the McGonigal dossier, worked.

According to a report by the US Oversight Committee (February 21, 2023), two CEFC executives, Patrick Ho and Ye Jianming, were arrested and convicted of corruption in the US and China.

On the official website of the Maritime Silk Road Society , it was stated that Rama's exhibition was sponsored by CEFC and the Chinese Academy of Culture, highlighting its "contribution to cultural exchanges between China and Albania."

Rama declared at the time that he would publish the profits from the exhibition in his 2016 asset form. The declaration included the note: "Income from artistic creativity and the sale of artistic works" in the amount of 1,285,665 lekë, but without any specifications on the expenses or sources of sponsorship of the exhibition in Hong Kong.

The controversy surrounding the exhibition in Athens

Another case that caused debate was the exhibition “Improvisations”, held on 21 March 2023 at the Zappeion Residence in Athens. The exhibition was organized by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and included a large-scale installation, covered in wallpaper on which paintings of Rama were printed. The opening was also attended by former Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.

Although presented as an independent artistic initiative, many critics saw the exhibition as an attempt by Rama to use art as an instrument of political image.

Critics highlighted the lack of prominent artistic values, while clearly appreciating the propaganda dimension and the attempt to strengthen the prime minister's international presence through art.

During that exhibition, Rama declared: "I am the best artist among all the prime ministers."

Art, image and power

For Edi Rama, art has always been more than a personal passion — it is part of his political and diplomatic strategy. With the involvement of Galerie Société, his creativity now enters a professional system of the international art market, where representation is linked to monetary value, public image, and cultural impact.

At a time when many political leaders use soft means of communication to strengthen their position, Rama seems to have found in art a new way to build his global profile - between colors, brushes, and diplomacy.

Whether Société will succeed in positioning Rama as an internationally renowned artist remains to be seen. But what is certain is that the Albanian prime minister has made art an inseparable part of his politics, turning creativity into a careful instrument for conducting diplomacy through aesthetics./ Kristina Tepexhiku