(18.12.1948, Griže-)
Rudi Španzel is a living Slovenian artist who creates his images by mastering classical techniques and an open outlook on life. He spent his youth in Zabukovica, and then began attending the Ljubljana School of Design. He also enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts, where he specialized in painting and graphics.
He showed a sense of drawing and skill in using various techniques, such as woodcut and etching, early on. Today, the profession ranks him among the most important Slovenian graphic artists and promoters of the graphic school. His oeuvre consists mostly of figurative art, in which realism is intertwined with symbolism. Each element in his works conveys its own story. We also know him as the author of portraits on former tolars and stamps, so that his images have become part of the national identity of Slovenians.
Painting also connected him with his life partner, Biljana Unkowska, whom he met while studying at the academy. Their journey together also took them to the USA, where they exhibited and worked. After a short period overseas, they returned to Old Ljubljana. They settled in a house in the city center, which they furnished with paintings and memories from their lives. At the forefront of Rudi's art remains doubt, which he understands as the norm. He is aware that art is a constant questioning, but also a privilege, because you can bring something into it that has not been there before.
Today, the artist lives and creates in Ljubljana. He has presented his works several times at home and abroad, and he also runs the Chiaroscuro summer school, which connects him with the artistic space.
Rudi Španzel je še živeč slovenski umetnik, ki svoje podobe oblikuje z obvladovanjem klasičnih tehnik in odprtega pogleda na življenje. Svojo mladost je preživel v Zabukovici, nato pa je pričel obiskovati ljubljansko Šolo za oblikovanje. Vpisal se je tudi na Akademijo za likovno umetnost, kjer je opravil še specializacijo za slikarstvo in grafiko.
Že zgodaj je pokazal občutek za risbo in spretnost pri rabi raznolikih tehnik kot npr. lesorez in jedkanico. Danes ga stroka uvršča med najpomembnejše slovenske grafike in promotorje grafične šole. V njegovem opusu je največ figuralne umetnosti, v kateri se realizem prepleta s simboliko. Vsak element na njegovih delih posreduje lastno zgodbo. Poznamo ga tudi kot avtorja portretov na nekdanjih tolarjih in znamkah, tako da so njegove podobe postale del nacionalne identitete Slovencev.
Slikarstvo ga je povezalo tudi z življenjsko sopotnico, Biljano Unkowsko, s katero se je spoznal med študijem na akademiji. Njuna skupna pot ju je vodila tudi v ZDA, kjer sta razstavljala in delala. Po kratkem obdobju čez ocean, sta se vrnila v Staro Ljubljano. Naselila sta se v hiši v središču mesta, ki sta jo opremila s slikami in spomini iz njunega življenja. V ospredju Rudijeve umetnosti ostaja dvom, ki ga razume kot normo. Zaveda se, da je umetnost nenehno spraševanje, a tudi privilegij, saj v njo lahko vneseš nekaj, česar še ni bilo.
Danes umetnik živi in ustvarja v Ljubljani. S svojimi deli se je večkrat predstavil doma in v tujini, vodi pa tudi poletno šolo Chiaroscuro, ki ga povezuje z umetniškim prostorom.
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:
Bojana LESKOVAR, Biljana Unkovska in Rudi Španzel, OnaPlus, 22.10.2019, https://onaplus.delo.si/intervju/biljana-unkovska-in-rudi-spanzel-knjiznica-na-akademiji-je-bila-imenitno-zalozena-tudi-s-puncami/ (14.10.2025).
Tanja PILIH, Španzel, Rudolf (1948-), Obrazi Slovenskih pokrajin, 2020, Kranj, https://www.obrazislovenskihpokrajin.si/en/oseba/spanzel-rudolf/ (1.10.2025).
Uredništvo, Fantastična umetnost, Pojmovnik Slovenske umetnosti po letu 1945, 2007, pp. 45-49.
Uredništvo, Fotorealizem, Pojmovnik Slovenske umetnosti po letu 1945, 2007, pp. 63-69.
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