Jure Cihlar

Jure Cihlař (1944–2018) was a Slovenian painter, caricaturist, printmaker, and illustrator who left a significant mark on contemporary Istrian art with his extensive body of work. His artistic expression ranged from expressive figuration to landscape painting, exploring various artistic styles—from Cubism, Pop Art, and geometric abstraction to Hyperrealism. With a refined sense of color, light, and composition, he created a strong sense of rhythm and spatial dynamics in his works.

After earning a degree in painting under France Mihelič at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana, he initially focused on figurative painting. His early works feature stylized and abstracted human figures, often imbued with a critical, grotesque, and satirical tone. However, in the 1970s, he gradually shifted toward landscape painting and became one of the leading interpreters of coastal Istria. His landscapes, often rendered in vibrant color combinations, depict the Sečovlje and Strunjan salt pans, coastal architecture, marinas, and other Mediterranean motifs.

His oeuvre is distinguished by a striking use of color, where dominant shades of blue are complemented by bold, glowing contrasts. He structured space through the interplay of color planes, crisp contour lines, and varied perspectives, often giving his paintings a collage-like effect. In addition to painting, he was active in printmaking, working with woodcuts, serigraphy, and lithography, while also producing caricatures and illustrations.
His works are housed in numerous public and private collections both in Slovenia and abroad.

Submitted by Gallery SLOART