Janez Bernik

Janez Bernik (1984) is a large art monograph dedicated to one of the most significant Slovenian painters and graphic artists of the second half of the 20th century. The book was edited by the esteemed Slovenian art critic and art historian Zoran Kržišnik, with texts by other authors (Giulio Carlo Argan, Ronald Alley, Gillo Dorfles, Jure Mikuž, etc.).

The monograph, with its rich illustrative apparatus, presents Bernik's creative path from his early works after studying at the Ljubljana Academy of Fine Arts (under Maksim Sedej, Božidar Jakac and Rik Debenjak) to his mature works in the early 1980s.

Janez Bernik (Gunclje near Ljubljana, 1933 – Prebold, 2016) was a versatile artist: painter, graphic artist, sculptor, illustrator, set designer and poet. He particularly excelled in graphics (etching and aquatint), where he developed a recognizable, strong expressionist expression. His works often combine abstraction and figuration, mythological and archetypal motifs, human figures, landscapes, and existential themes. Bernik belonged to the group "69" and was a regular participant in the Venice Biennale and numerous international exhibitions in Paris, New York, Rome, Berlin, and elsewhere.

Kržišnik's monograph emphasizes Bernik's ability to synthesize tradition and modernity, his intense relationship with material and surface, and the deep emotional and poetic dimension of his work. The texts analyze the development of the artist's style through different periods, with an emphasis on the graphic work that brought him international recognition.

This is one of the most important and most representative editions about Janez Bernik, published in English for an international audience. Today, it is considered a classic of Slovenian art monographs and is sought after by collectors of art books. Ideal for fans of modern Slovenian and Yugoslav art, graphics, and the expressionist movement of the 20th century.