Jože Ciuha
(1924-2015)
Jože Ciuha was born in Trbovlje (Slovenia) in 1924. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana. After graduating in 1950, he did postgraduate studies in mural painting under Prof. Slavko Pengov.
Traveling for study purposes, he visited Austria, West Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Poland and the Soviet Union. Trips to Macedonia aroused his interest in Byzantine art and the East in general. In the years 1959-1961 he studied Buddhist art and philosophy under Professor Luce at the Rangoon University. At that time he visited India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia. In 1964 and 1965 he travelled across South America, where he got acquainted with Indian civilization. He visited Brasil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia. From his journeys he brought home sketchbooks full of drawings and material for his two books The Petrified Smile and Conversation with Silence, describing his encounters with ancient civilizations and the people and events of our time.
In 1965 Jože Ciuha worked as visiting artist at Western Michigan University. It was at that time he criss-crossed the United States and Maxico. In adition to the two mentioned books he has written The Journey of Fairyland, a children’s book awarded the Levstik Prize. In the 1970’s Jože Ciuha tutored painting courses at the International Summer Academy in Salzburg for five successive years. He has been illustrating books for many years. Apart from painting, he is engaged in graphic art and tapestry.
Ciuha died in Ljubljana, on April 11, 2015.
