Biography

Embroidery Design (Arbon, Switzerland) [1980], Academy of Fine Arts (Prishtina, Kosovo) [1976-79], College of Arts (Skopje, Macedonia) [1974-76], High School of Arts (Peja, Kosovo) [1973-74]

Zeqirja was the chief textile designer for Europe's second-largest textile mill. He widely exhibited his paintings in Kosova and abroad, and was commissioned as a muralist to create frescoes for churches and mosques. His most accomplished mural is Albanian Persecution, 1846, (650m2, 1991) in the Church of Binqa in Gjilan, Kosova which he completed with Demir Behluli.

Since Zeqirja's arrival to Canada, he has had many solo and group exhibitions, notable exhibits include those opened at Saint Marys University Art Gallery (1999), Pier 21 (2001), Nova Scotia Art Gallery (2002), UCCB Art Gallery II (Sydney, 2005), National Defense Head Quarters (Ottawa, 2007), Corridor Gallery VANS Gallery (2008), Aviation Museum Gallery (2009), Dalhousie University Art Gallery (2007 through 2019), Canada Place Vancouver (2012), Halifax Club (2014), Gainsborough Gallery (Calgary, 2015), Nova Scotia Archives (2016), Corridor Gallery VANS (2016), The Craig Gallery (2017), Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo (2017), Artusiasm Gallery Toronto (2018), Hart House University of Toronto (2018), Kosovo Consulate in Toronto (2018), Dalhousie Art Gallery (2018), "Operation Parasol" at the Pier 21 (2019), Hart House University, Toronto (2019), "The Flame of January" Gjilan, Kosova (2020), ECC Art Gallery, Toronto (2020), “COVID-XIX [A 2020/2021 Archive]” Visual Arts Nova Scotia (2021).

Zeqirja has completed many mural commissions in Nova Scotia including the Tall Ships mural in downtown Halifax (2000), a series of eight murals at Alderney Landing based on historic Dartmouth (2003-05), Map of Canada for the Immigration of Canada (2009), Commemoration mural for Joseph Howe 200th Anniversary (2004) as well as 400 Years Anniversary of Acadians, Windsor (2004), and murals in the Cole Harbour United Church and Trinity Church. He has also donated artwork to St.Patrick Church. In 2020, Zeqirja received the top prize award at the national exhibit "Flaka e Janarit" (translated: January's Flame,) (Kosovo, 2020). The year after, 2021 Zeqirja was awarded the "Established Artist Award" presented by Arts Nova Scotia in Canada.

Zeqirja continues to create, continually signifying his art style with the simplicity of form through message and it is this new "Revival" that has garnered him a renewed attention in media.

Current and past organizations that Zeqirja has been affiliated with are; Visual Arts Nova Scotia, the Cape Breton Artists Association, the Canadian Forces Artists Program and IATSE. His artistic credibility landed him an opportunity to be a part of a judges panel for the Canadian Air Forces Artists Program and was chosen to feature in CBCs ArtSpots. He currently provides training and guidance for his students.

Visit Zeqirja Rexhepi's website: http://www.zeqirja.com