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GOCAT has opened its latest exhibition: “Shot / Reverse Shot”, a compelling dialogue between generations and perspectives.

This exhibition connects the powerful black-and-white imagery of Barry Lewis, the British photojournalist who captured Albania in the early 1990s, with new responses by four Albanian artists today. Among them is Roland Tasho, one of the few local photographers who also documented that turbulent era from within the country.

Curator Burim Myftiu explains the concept:

“This is more than an exhibition, it’s an anthropological study of the Albanian spirit in the ‘90s. These aren’t just photos. They are deep works of art. Lewis took them around the world, and now they return home. For the younger generation, it’s a chance to see a past they’ve only heard about.”

The exhibition title, borrowed from cinema, suggests a visual back-and-forth: one image speaks, another responds. The result is not just a look into the past, but a moment of reflection on identity and memory.

Roland Tasho, whose archival photograph appears alongside Lewis’s work, shared:

“I took that picture when I was very young, working as a photographer at the Pyramid building. I never thought it would still carry meaning three decades later. This dialogue is important, it brings the past into today’s language.”

Barry Lewis, speaking at the opening, said:

“It felt like I returned to a completely different place. So much has changed… so much life everywhere. At times, it felt like there were more tourists than locals on the streets of Tirana.”

The exhibition is free and open to the public until September 7, in line with the Foundation’s commitment to making culture accessible to all.

If you haven’t yet visited GOCAT, this is the perfect occasion.