Albania's former dictator's home becomes sanctuary for artists

The former home of Albania’s repressive dictator, Enver Hoxha, is now a vibrant creative space for young artists worldwide, marking the country’s latest step to break free from its authoritarian past, AFP reported.

Bruno Julliard, director of the Art Explora Foundation, praised the transformation, calling it a defiant gesture against the legacy of censorship and repression that once defined the villa.

Once a "ghost villa" steeped in the dark history of Albania's totalitarian regime, Hoxha's former residence in Tirana is now a residency for artists from around the globe. 

This year, 22 artists from 15 countries will be welcomed into the villa, which still holds its original Socialist Realist art and furniture. Among them is Genny Petrotta, an Italian video artist and researcher, who finds inspiration in the surreal atmosphere of the house. 

“Every day when I wake up, I write down my dreams because here I have absurd dreams,” she explained, noting that the house evoked Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and “Hamlet,” which explore power and vengeance.

Previously known as "Villa 31," the villa served as Hoxha’s family home for decades, in a heavily guarded area watched over by the dictator’s secret police. 

Hoxha's regime was notorious for its harsh repression, outlawing religion, curbing personal expression, and imprisoning artists. Today, however, the area has transformed, with bars and cafes now replacing the security checkpoints.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, an artist himself, emphasized the symbolic value of the villa's new role. At the opening ceremony, he declared that it would create everything Hoxha "despised" — a modern artistic hub that would make the dictator “turn in his grave.”

Among the first residents is Ukrainian artist Stanislava Pinchuk, who is captivated by the villa’s heavy atmosphere. 

“Everything here breathes pain and tension,” she said, describing the space as both a testament to the past and a platform for artistic reflection on political events and human rights abuses.