TIRANA, Jan 21 /ATA/ The Ethnographic Museum in Budapest houses approximately 300 objects, including Albanian jewelry and garments, which were sold to the museum by a merchant named Paolo Lazza. In an effort to learn more about this figure, the Budapest museum reached out to the “Marubi” Photography Museum. Following an investigation personally led by museum director Luçjan Bedeni, it was revealed that the merchant was, in fact, the trader from Shkodra Palokë Laca, whose descendants now reside in Shkodra and Italy. 

Bedeni, the director of the “Marubi” Museum, together with curator Kim Knoppers and fashion designer Jozef Martini (a cousin of Palokë Laca), conducted a two-day visit to the Ethnographic Museum in Budapest, where they had the chance to see the remarkable collection up close. 

In 2024, Hungarian museum experts visited Shkodra to probe further into the life of merchant Palokë Laca. During their visit, they also discussed the possibility of displaying these objects at the “Marubi” Museum. 

The 300 objects once sold by the Shkodra merchant may be featured in an exhibition set to open in June of this year at the “Marubi” Museum.  In a social media post, the “Marubi” Museum announced that the recognition of this figure and the discovery of these objects in Budapest are part of a project that has been in progress for several months under the direction of curator Kim Knopper. The project, set to be showcased at the “Marubi” Museum, will focus on ethnography and craftsmanship.