Kosovo Refugee to Open International Gallery of the Yale Physicians Building Art Place

The Yale Physician’s Building Art Place will kick off a second exhibit with the work of Kosovo Refugee, Burim Myftiu and13 other artists on Friday, September 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. at 800 Howard Avenue.

Myftiu, who arrived in the United States with just the clothes on his back, will open the International Gallery with some members of the Dean’s delegation to Kosovo. He will discuss the effect the war has had on him and how it has influenced his art. Taught by his father, Myftiu’s first photographs were black and white images of his family and friends in his hometown, Prizren. As a professional photographer, Burim lived in Turkey and traveled and worked extensively in Asia, Africa and Western Europe. He returned to Kosovo in 1997 where he worked with international relief agencies. Due to war conditions in 1999, he fled his country and was admitted as a refugee in the U.S.

Much of his work was destroyed during the Serbian military destruction. Continuing to work in the U.S. as a photographer, Burim strives to capture images that will promote better understanding and peace in the world.

The other artists are members of the Yale University community. They include:

Jim Abrahams, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Director of Medical Studies, will display his pottery.

Maria Bluege, a registered nurse, will display paintings.

Lucienne Coifman will show her weavings.

Katie Henderson, manager of Pathology Graphics and Imaging, will show paintings, which have been placed in private collections.

Sung Kim, M.D., assistant professor in the Section of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, will display photographs.

Eleanore Miller, senior administrative assistant to Lawrence S. Cohen, M.D. and special advisor to the Dean of the Medical School will display her quilts.

Karen Schnitzer, administrative assistant in the Section of Nephrology in the Department of Medicine will show photographs.

Laura Smith, systems analyst in the Department of Patient Financial Services will show photographs.

Wayne Southwick, M.D., professor emeritus, will display a bronze statue.

Barbara Tracy, recruitment coordinator at the Yale Law School Career Development Office, will display her quilts.

Richard A. White, MFA, communications coordinator for Yale Human Resource Services and editor of the monthly Yale staff newsletter working@yale.edu, will show photographs.

Linda Hali Zucker, materials assistant and buyer for the Yale Art Gallery Museum Store, will show drawings and paintings.

The exhibit also includes the work of special affiliation exhibitor Elizabeth Kovanen, an interior landscaper for Lucian’s Greenhouse in Hamden, who will display her wild vine baskets.

Contributors include Crystal Rock Bottled Water, A.C. Moore of Orange, Julia’s Bakery, Hot Tomato’s, New England Wine & Spirits, SignLite, Inc, Lucian’s Greenhouse, Caffe Adulis, Yale School of Medicine Building Services and Operations, Hamden Framing Gallery, Inc., ITS-Med Media Services, Joel & Lorraine F. Roseman, and Terry Dagradi.