Venetiku: Tracing a Photographic Collection

The founder of the studio was Dhimitër Venetiku (1874–1946), who established it sometime in the 1920s. He set up the studio inside his own home. Initially, he worked alongside his eldest son, Theodhoraq. However, his son died unexpectedly in 1930.

Following this event, the other children also became involved in the studio: Jovani, Krisanthi, Antoneta, and Kiço. In the mid-1930s, Dhimitër Venetiku retired from the profession. The work was continued primarily by Jovani and Krisanthi.

In 1946, Antoneta married and moved to Tirana, while Kiço left the studio entirely in 1949. He began working as a teacher and would distinguish himself as a highly erudite intellectual. He taught mathematics and physics, but had a particular passion for music. He was one of the founding teachers of the “Tefta Tashko Koço” School of Arts.

In the early 1940s, Jovan Venetiku left Albania. The circumstances surrounding his departure remain unclear.

After Jovani’s departure, Krisanthi continued working in the studio until 1955, when private businesses were nationalized and the studio was permanently closed. For a short time, Krisanthi worked as a photographer at the city’s artisans’ cooperative.

In the mid-1960s, the Venetiku family home was completely demolished as a result of new urban development plans. This marked a sad moment for the studio. The family moved a little farther down the street, into a very small apartment. As a result, they were forced to discard most of their materials, as they had no room to take them along.

In October 1975, Kiço and Krisanthi were arrested. These were the years following the Fourth Plenum, a period when persecution of the regime’s “enemies” had become a ruthless and relentless witch hunt. They spent approximately a year and a half in pretrial detention and interrogation.

A special operational file was opened by the State Security Service under the codename “Bataku” (“The Swamp”), targeting their alleged “hostile activities.” Through this operation, the well-known painter Vangjush Tushi (1914–1982) and the teacher Gaqo Peci (1920–2001) were also arrested and imprisoned.

The trial of all four defendants took place between April and June 1977. It is still remembered by the citizens of Korçë for its brutal and violent “spectacle.”

Kiço Venetiku was sentenced to 25 years in prison for high treason against the homeland. He died in Spaç Prison in 1985.

Krisanthi Venetiku was sentenced to seven years in prison for agitation and propaganda. She died in the women’s prison in Kosovë, near Lushnjë, in 1979.

Article by Mikaela Minga