Ivan Picelj
Encyclopedia
Ivan Picelj was a contemporary Croatian painter, sculptor and graphic designer.
Picelj developed a specific variation of geometric abstraction in Croatian painting by using primary colours and by reducing the shapes to geometric elements. He made sculptures and reliefs in wood and in metal (since 1957). The multiplication of the basic plastic unit within a regular grid is one of his trademark procedures.
He was one of the founders and members of the group Exat 51 which, in the period 1950–1956, consited of the architects Vjenceslav Richter
, Bernardo Bernardi, Zdravko Bregovac, Božidar Rašica and Vladimir Zaharović, and the painters Vlado Kristl and Aleksandar Srnec
. He was also a member of the Industrial Design Studio – SIO (1956). He is one the founders of the New Tendencies movement, and he participated in the production and exhibited at the New Tendencies exhibitions in Zagreb (1961–67). He spent a lot of time in Paris where he collaborated with the Denise René Gallery. He also involved himself in graphic design (posters and books) from the mid 1960s and published four graphic maps: 8 seriographies (1957), Oeuvre programmeé (1966), Cyclophoria (1971) and Géométrie élémentaire (1973). He organized the first industrial design exhibition in Zagreb in 1955 and helped design the Yugoslavian pavilions for national and international exhibitions.
He exhibited at many solo (since 1952) and group shows, such as the Venice Biennale
(1969, 1972), A Century of Avant-garde Art in Middle and Eastern Europe (Bonn, 1994), Constructivism and Kinetic Art (Zagreb, 1995), Ivan Picelj – Graphic Art Opus 1957–2003, International Centre of Graphic Arts (MGLC), (Ljubljana, 2003), Picelj, Denise René Gallery (Rive Gauche, Paris, 2008). His works are part of the museum collections at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb
, the Muzeum Sztuki Lodz in Lodz, the International Centre of Graphic Arts in Ljubljana, the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Many works also belong to many private collections such as the Filip Trade Collection
, Croatia. He received the Vladimir Nazor Award
for “Life Achievement” (1994).
Ivan Picelj was born in Okučani
and died in Zagreb
.
Picelj developed a specific variation of geometric abstraction in Croatian painting by using primary colours and by reducing the shapes to geometric elements. He made sculptures and reliefs in wood and in metal (since 1957). The multiplication of the basic plastic unit within a regular grid is one of his trademark procedures.
He was one of the founders and members of the group Exat 51 which, in the period 1950–1956, consited of the architects Vjenceslav Richter
Vjenceslav Richter
Vjenceslav Richter was a Croatian architect. He was also known for his work in the fields of urbanism, sculpture, graphic arts, painting and stage design.-Career:...
, Bernardo Bernardi, Zdravko Bregovac, Božidar Rašica and Vladimir Zaharović, and the painters Vlado Kristl and Aleksandar Srnec
Aleksandar Srnec
Aleksandar Srnec was a Croatian artist. He is mainly known for his avant-garde designs and kinetic and lumino kinetic art....
. He was also a member of the Industrial Design Studio – SIO (1956). He is one the founders of the New Tendencies movement, and he participated in the production and exhibited at the New Tendencies exhibitions in Zagreb (1961–67). He spent a lot of time in Paris where he collaborated with the Denise René Gallery. He also involved himself in graphic design (posters and books) from the mid 1960s and published four graphic maps: 8 seriographies (1957), Oeuvre programmeé (1966), Cyclophoria (1971) and Géométrie élémentaire (1973). He organized the first industrial design exhibition in Zagreb in 1955 and helped design the Yugoslavian pavilions for national and international exhibitions.
He exhibited at many solo (since 1952) and group shows, such as the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
(1969, 1972), A Century of Avant-garde Art in Middle and Eastern Europe (Bonn, 1994), Constructivism and Kinetic Art (Zagreb, 1995), Ivan Picelj – Graphic Art Opus 1957–2003, International Centre of Graphic Arts (MGLC), (Ljubljana, 2003), Picelj, Denise René Gallery (Rive Gauche, Paris, 2008). His works are part of the museum collections at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb
Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb
The Museum of Contemporary Art is a contemporary art museum located on Dubrovnik Avenue in Zagreb, Croatia. It is the biggest and most modern museum in the country....
, the Muzeum Sztuki Lodz in Lodz, the International Centre of Graphic Arts in Ljubljana, the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Many works also belong to many private collections such as the Filip Trade Collection
Filip Trade Collection
The Filip Trade Collection is a large private collection of contemporary Croatian art. The collection is a subsidiary of Filip Trade, a distribution company with its offices located in the capital city of Croatia, Zagreb...
, Croatia. He received the Vladimir Nazor Award
Vladimir Nazor award
The Vladimir Nazor Award is an annual award given by the Croatian Ministry of Culture to Croatian artists for highest achievements in various artistic fields. It was established in 1959 and is named after the notable writer Vladimir Nazor...
for “Life Achievement” (1994).
Ivan Picelj was born in Okučani
Okucani
Okučani is a village in western Slavonia, Croatia. It is located at the contact point between the Posavina plain and the southern slopes of Psunj; 19 km southeast of Novska and 17 km west of Nova Gradiška; elevation 119 m. Chief occupations are farming, livestock breeding, fishing and...
and died in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
.