(28.1.1927, Celje – 15.3.2007, Ljubljana)
Smiljan Rozman was a versatile Slovenian artist. He dedicated most of his life to painting as well as literature, and is still considered one of the most expressive writers of the post-war period. He shaped his works based on the experiences of his youth, which were strongly marked by war, migration and constant adaptation to new circumstances.
Rozman spent his childhood in several places, as they moved frequently due to his father's job. He lived in Šmarje pri Jelšah, Jesenice, Radovljica, Ptuj and Maribor. There he first became fascinated with painting and poetry and prose, which he developed throughout his life. The trauma of World War II and migration to Serbia is at the forefront of his interest. He also had to do forced labor in Germany and France, and all of this influenced the artist's fear of the unknown. After returning to Maribor, he finished teacher training, despite the fact that he wanted to become a fine artist. He made a living as a musician, as this meant a part of his creative freedom. After the war, Rozman was wrongly accused and imprisoned.
He was forbidden to teach in schools, which left a strong mark on him. This terrible period was expressed in his later novels. He was one of the few Slovenian writers who could make a living exclusively from writing. His oeuvre is extensive and diverse, encompassing novels, short stories, radio plays, film scripts, ballet librettos and works for young people. He published stories in numerous magazines and newspapers, and many were also published in book form. Although Slovenians often associate him with youth literature, this is only part of his work. In his narrative cycles, he combined humor, playfulness and crime or adventure motifs, while at the same time trying not to moralize. Rozman was also always interested in the visual arts. He understood painting as an intimate complement to his writing. He often sought refuge in nature, where he painted with watercolors.
He presented his images at several solo exhibitions. Despite the fact that he failed to enroll in the Academy, Rozman showed a great talent for art in his painted works, which he cultivated until his late years. He was a member of the Slovenian Writers' Association and the Slovenian PEN Society. He was awarded several awards for his works. These include the Levstik Award, the Prežih Award, and the Prešeren Fund Award and Recognition. He left behind a rich literary and artistic oeuvre, into which he breathed an exceptional sense of narrative, psychology, and human warmth.
Smiljan Rozman je bil vsestransko podkovan slovenski ustvarjalec. Večino svojega življenja je posvetil slikarstvu kot tudi literaturi in še danes velja za enega najizrazitejših piscev povojnega časa. Svoja dela je oblikoval na podlagi izkušenj iz mladosti, ki jih je močno zaznamovala vojna, selitve in nenehno prilagajanje novim okoliščinam.
Rozman je svoje otroštvo preživel v več krajih, saj so se zaradi očetove službe pogosto selili. Bival je v Šmarju pri Jelšah, Jesenicah, Radovljici, na Ptuju in v Mariboru. Tam se je prvič navdušil nad slikanjem in poezijo ter prozo, ki jo je od tedaj dalje razvijal skozi celotno življenje. V ospredju njegovega zanimanja je travma iz druge svetovne vojne in selitve v Srbijo. Opravljati je moral tudi prisilno delo v Nemčiji in Franciji, vse to pa je vplivalo na umetnikov strah do neznanenega. Po vrnitvi v Maribor je končal učiteljišče, kljub dejstvu, da si je želel postati likovni umetnik. Preživljal se je kot glasbenik, saj je to zanj pomenilo del ustvarjalne svobode. Po koncu vojne so Rozmana po krivici obtožili in tudi zaprli.
Prepovedali so mu, da bi poučeval v šolah, kar pa je nanj pustilo močan pečat. To strahotno obdobje se je izrazilo v njegovih poznejših romanih. Bil je eden redkih slovenskih pisateljev, ki so se lahko preživljali izključno od pisanja. Njegov opus je obsežen in raznolik in obsega tako romane kot novele, radijske igre, filmske scenarije, baletna libreta in mladinska dela. Zgodbe je objavljal v številnih revijah in časopisih, mnoge pa so izšle tudi v knjižni obliki. Čeprav ga slovenci pogosto povezujemo z mladinsko literaturo, je ta le del njegovega ustvarjanja. V pripovednih ciklih je združil humor, igrivost in kriminalne ali pustolovske motive, hkrati pa se je trudil, da ni moraliziral. Rozman se je ves čas zanimal tudi za vizualne umetnosti. Slikarstvo je razumel kot intimno dopolnitev pisateljskega dela. Pogosto se je zatekel v naravo, kjer je slikal z akvareli.
Podobe je predstavil na več samostojnih razstavah. Ne glede na to, da mu vpis na Akademijo ni uspel, je Rozman v naslikanih delih pokazal velik talent za umetnost, ki ga je gojil vse do poznih let. Bil je član Društva slovenskih pisateljev in slovenskega društva PEN. Za njegova dela so mu podelili več priznanj. Mednje sodita Levstikova, Prežihova in nagrada in priznanje Prešernovega sklada. Za seboj je pustil bogat literarni in umetniški opus, v katerega je vdahnil izjemen občutek za pripoved, psihologijo in človeško toplino.
All the artists on the Porta Alpina website can be found at this link.
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:
Jana JEDLOVČNIK, Rozman, Smiljan (1927-2007), Obrazi Slovenskih pokrajin, 2020, Kranj, https://www.obrazislovenskihpokrajin.si/it/oseba/rozman-smiljan/ (1.10.2025).
Uredništvo, Poslovil se je Smiljan Rozman, RTV SLO, 15.3.2007, https://www.rtvslo.si/kultura/knjige/poslovil-se-je-smiljan-rozman/149921 (17.11.2025).
For all additional information regarding the purchase and other services, you can contact us by phone or e-mail: info@portaalpina-gallery.com
We will try to answer you as soon as possible.