An internationally renowned artist and photographer from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) met Prince Charles during his tour of the Balkans to present pictures documenting the recent history of Kosova.
ROYAL MEET: Prince Charles talks to Lala at the exhibition
Lala Meredith-Vula, Reader of Art and Photography in the university’s Photography and Video department, was asked by the British Embassy in Pristina, Kosova, to put together the exhibition of photos from her work “Blood Memory” for Prince Charles to view.
The exhibition is a powerful reminder as to where Kosova was just 25 years ago; Lala’s pictures from the 1990s captured evidence of the blood feud reconciliations as people, as part of a community, agreed to put an end to centuries of violence.
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Prince Charles and Camilla have just completed a five day tour of the Western Balkans which was engulfed in ethnic war in the 1990s and has been at the centre of the European migrant crisis.
Reports from the still volatile region said that the British royals’ trip promoted peace and reconciliation in a region where more than 100,000 people died during the war and more than a million people were displaced.
Lala said: “I was honoured to meet Prince Charles and I think it was important he came to the Balkans. It shows that Britain is interested in this part of Europe. Kosovars will feel they are not alone and not being ignored. Prince Charles is saying that Britain is willing to help and is showing moral support.”
DRAMATIC: One of Lala's photos documenting events in Kosova
Lala’s work is widely respected and seen by the Kosovars as art which captures the country’s plight. Some of Lala’s pictures hang in the Kosovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the request of the Minister.
Last year, Lala was invited to a ceremony to see pop megastar Rita Ora being made an honorary ambassador to Kosova in front of former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Kosova President Atifete Jahjaga.
Lala first exhibited her work in Damien Hirst's 'Freeze' the landmark exhibition that launched the Young British Artists movement. Since then she has exhibited in the Venice Biennale and around the world both in group shows and solo shows. She has worked with the British Red Cross in Kosova after the war and created many series of art works around Kosova and Albania.
EXHIBITION: Lala with one of her pictures
Posted on Wednesday 23 March 2016