Ivan Kos

(Gornja Radgona, 24.5.1895 - Maribor 19.1.1981)

Ivan Kos was one of the representatives of the older generation of Slovenian artists who trained in painting at the Vienna Academy. Although he only stayed in the imperial city for a short time, he acquired the basics of the official style during his education.

After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the artist, in his desire to create, went to Prague. There, in 1919, he enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts, where he graduated. After successfully completing his training, Kos returned to his homeland. Despite the fact that he was considered a skilled artist during his studies, he had difficulty establishing himself in society in the new post-war conditions. He visited the Maribor Hospital several times, where he worked in the dermatology department. Later, he was offered the job of an art teacher at several primary schools and high schools across Slovenia.

Ivan Kos perfected his artistic language throughout his life. He followed contemporary Italian and Croatian artists with interest, who influenced the transformation of his expressiveness. He encountered war twice in his life. This left a great mark on Koso's creativity. He was on good terms with his brother Franco Koso. He opened the door for Ivan to the world of diplomats, who commissioned several works from the artist. In the early stages, the young artist relied mainly on the guidelines he received during his studies at the academies. Towards the end of the 1920s, expressionist moments appeared in his paintings, which gradually transitioned towards a new reality. During this time, his best works were created, which enjoyed a great reputation among art lovers.

In the 1930s, he mainly tackled social themes. This was the time when his most important prints were created. With pencil and ink, he depicted the most impoverished population that suffered the consequences of the war. During this time, he also created an extensive cycle entitled Beggars, in which he tried to address the public with a realistic treatment of current topics. Ivan's style changed somewhat after World War II.

He still remained faithful to academic realism, only adding a lyrical element to it. He painted mainly with oil paints, watercolors, charcoal and ink, and he also created a few graphic designs. Portraits, still lifes and landscapes predominate among his motifs, which he presented to the public on several occasions. During his studies, he participated in the Grohar art club, which brought together young artists in Maribor. He also participated in the Ljubljana and Maribor Young Artists Clubs on several occasions. He was a founding member of the Brazda art club, which also organized exhibitions. In memory of his creativity, several retrospective exhibitions were organized in Maribor, where selected works of his were featured.

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Ivan Kos je bil eden izmed predstavnikov starejše generacije slovenskih likovnih umetnikov, ki so se za slikarstvo urili na dunajski akademiji. V cesarskem mestu je sicer ostal le kratek čas, pa vendar je med izobraževanjem pridobil osnove uradnega sloga.

Po razpadu Avstro-Ogrske monarhije, se je umetnik v želji po ustvarjanju odpravil še v Prago. Tam se je leta 1919 vpisal na likovno akademijo, kjer je tudi diplomiral. Po uspešno zaključenem izpopolnjevanju, se je Kos vrnil v domovino. Ne glede na to, da so ga med šolanjem ocenili kot spretnega ustvarjalca, se je v novih povojnih razmerah le s težka uveljavil v družbi. Večkrat je zahajal v mariborsko bolnišnico, kjer je ustvarjal na dermatološkem oddelku. Kasneje so mu ponudili delo likovnega pedagoga na več osnovnih šolah in gimnazijah po Sloveniji.

Ivan Kos je skozi vse življenje izpopolnjeval svojo likovno govorico. Z zanimanjem je spremljal sočasne italijanske in hrvaške umetnike, ki so vplivali na preoblikovanje njegove izraznosti. Kar dvakrat v življenju se je srečal z vojno. Ta je pustila velik pečat na Kosovo ustvarjalnost. Bil je v dobrih odnosih z bratom Francom Kosom. Ta je Ivanu odprl vrata v svet diplomatov, ki so pri umetniku naročili nekaj del. V zgodnji fazi se je mladi umetnik oprl predvsem na smernice, ki jih je prejel v času študija na akademijah. Proti koncu 20ih let, so se v njegovih slikah pojavili ekspresionistični momenti, ki so postopoma prehajali proti novi stvarnosti. V tem času so nastala njegova najboljša dela, ki so doživela velik ugled med ljubitelji umetnosti.

V tridesetih letih se je lotil predvsem socialne tematike. To je bil čas, ko so nastale njegove pomembnejše grafike. S svinčnikom in tušem je upodobil najbolj obubožano prebivalstvo, ki je utrpelo posledice vojne. V tem času je nastal tudi obsežen cikel z naslovom Berači, v katerem je z realistično obravnavo aktualne tematike skušal nagovoriti javnost. Ivanov slog se je po drugi svetovni vojni nekoliko spremenil.

Še vedno je ostal zvest akademskemu realizmu, le da ga je dopolnil z liričnim momentom. Slikal je predvsem z oljnimi barvami, v akvarelu, z ogljem in tušem, izdelal pa je tudi nekaj grafičnih predlog. Med njegovimi motivi po številčnosti prevladujejo portreti, tihožitja in krajine, ki jih je večkrat predstavil tudi javnosti. V času študija je sodeloval v klubu umetnostnemu Grohar, ki je združeval mlade likovne ustvarjalce v Mariboru. Večkrat je sodeloval tudi v ljubljanskem in mariborskem Klubu mladih umetnikov. Bil je ustanovni član umetnostnega kluba Brazda, v okviru katerega so prav tako prirejali razstave. V spomin na njegovo ustvarjalnost so mu v Mariboru priredili več retrospektivnih razstav, na katerih so se pojavila njegova izbrana dela.

The text was prepared for the Porta Alpina gallery by Pia Župevec, B.Sc. art history
Besedilo je za galerijo Porta Alpina pripravila Pia Župevec, dipl. um. zgod.

SOURCES/VIRI:
Tamara JURIČ, s. v. Ivan KOS (1895-1981), Obrazi slovenskih pokrajin, Kranj, https://www.obrazislovenskihpokrajin.si/oseba/kos-ivan-2/ (19.1.2025).
Ivan Kos: retrospektivna razstava: 1925 – 1975, Maribor 1975.
Dragan POTOČNIK, Prispevek h kulturni zgodovini Maribora med obema vojnama, Zgodovinski časopis, LVII/1-2, Maribor 2003, pp. 130.Razstava ex librisa in male grafike: akademski slikar Ivan Kos, Maribor 1972.