Lucijan Bratuš
Lucijan Bratuš
(1949)
Born on February 16, 1949, in Vipava, Bratuš attended elementary school in Vipava and then the School of Design in Ljubljana. In the autumn of 1967, he was accepted to the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana and graduated from the Painting Department in 1971, followed by a specialization in graphic arts in 1973. From 1974 to 1995, he worked as an independent cultural worker. He was actively involved in teaching at the Academy from 1987 and became a full professor of visual communications in 2007. Since his retirement, Lucijan Bratuš has worked as an external collaborator at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design (ALUO) and has been a guest lecturer at academies in Cluj, Skopje, Krakow, and Zagreb. Since 1997, he has organized the international typography workshop Tipo Brda for students. Bratuš’s artistic pursuits include painting, drawing, printmaking, graphic design, typography, calligraphy, and photography. His typographic and design work encompasses the creation of new typefaces, symbols, crests, logos, and book design. His art reflects existentially charged themes, presenting human suffering and daily emotions such as anxiety and the pain of contemporary existence. He counters these negative emotions with the use of strong, vibrant colors, symbolizing the vitality and goodness that triumph over adversity.
“… When painting takes the forefront, graphic creation recedes, when graphics come into play, painting moves into the background …”
Work
Bratuš’s graphic works are rooted in expressive drawing. He uses contrasting textures to heighten drama or combines broad, soft, fluid strokes with sharp, meticulous hatching, approaching a calligraphic quality. His prints primarily include lithographs, as well as woodcuts and silkscreens, with figurative motifs predominating. During his specialization studies, he explored black-and-white and color woodcuts, addressing formal issues (Fleeing Landscapes series, 1971). Later, he turned to lithography, tackling expressive figuration (Dead Time, Awakening, 1973; Demons, Pulse of Summer, 1986–1990). In silkscreen printing, he focused on color effects and expression, aligning his graphics with his painting style (Demon of the Night series, 1992). Bratuš has frequently exhibited his works or collaborated with poets, such as Franc Černigoj, with whom he created poetry portfolios (Moist Rays, 1975; Nerezine, 1980; and The Mountain and the Song, 1998).
Since 1970, Bratuš has held over 60 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 170 group exhibitions in Slovenia and abroad. He has received 15 awards for his work and participated in numerous art colonies and symposia.
Fig V
9/10 | 1980 | original serigraphy, paper
Caryatid VI
1983 | original serigraphy, paper