Josip Rubes
Biography
I am Croatian painter born 1942. I graduated in painting in Ljubljana, Slovenia. I have been painting landscapes for years. I have been painting in an abstract style since 2008. During painting I bring a lot of energy, passion and enthusiasm in order to make the painting atractive and successful.
What's your background?
I am a graduate painter and retired doctor, born in 1942.
I spent my childhood in the countryside near Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Arts was my favourite school subject, and I wanted to become a painter when I grew up, but my life led me to medicine. In 1970, I graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Zagreb and then completed specialization in internal medicine. Along with a busy doctor's schedule I have still managed to find time for drawing and painting. Since 1980, I have participated in numerous group exhibitions and organized dozens of independent exhibitions. When I retired in 1970, paints and brushes became my occupation. 2012 I graduated in painting from the Arthouse College of Visual Arts in Ljubljana (Slovenia). My graduation thesis was "Painting by Jackson Pollock". I have fulfilled my childhood dream and became a painter. Since then, I mainly paint in an abstract style.
What does it mean to you to win the Collectors Art Prize?
Every recognition and award given to me for my painting proves that my painting has the quality of workmanship, beauty, attractiveness and recognizable style by the estimation of historians of art. In the last few years, I have received several international recognitions and awards, among others Artist of the year 2020 from The World of Art Award. That prize is very important and stimulating for me to continue my further painting journey. I thank you for the award.
What do you think is the role of art in the world today?
Art is everything created by man for the purpose of visual or auditory pleasure. It can also be said that theanart is the ability of a person to bring something beautiful into reality to provoke aesthetic pleasure. The art has a certain social function, it inspires people with faith, ennobles our souls, raises the reputation of an individual and community. The art can have an importantrole in tourism. So, for example, every year thousands of people who admire art from many countries come to Paris, to the Louvre to admire the Mona Lisa, one of the most famous paintings in the world, the work of Leonardo da Vinci. The art brings people and nations together. If there hadn't been art, the world would have been poor.
What would it be if you could change one thing about the art world?
It is difficult to answer that question objectively. Valuing the art is not adequate according to some other professions, such as some sports. The art is underrated although there are few exceptions in the fine arts. Many professional artists do not live a life worthy of man. That is why changing certain social laws would improve the standard the artist.
What are your most significant professional achievements?
For years, I mostly painted the landscapes of the region where I live, and so far I have painted over 1000 landscapes mostly in the pastel technique. For those kind of paintings I was awarded in Croatia multiple times.
I have been painting in an abstract style since 2007. In the beginning, I painted in the style of Jackson Pollock, but I gradually changed my style from abstract expressionism to geometric abstraction. From 2020, I have been participating in numerous group exhibitions in Croatia and abroad (New York, Monaco, Miami, Venice, Milan). In 2019, I had a solo exhibition in Paris.
What do you wish to tell viewers about your work that might not come out explicitly? What do you hope to inspire with your artwork?
To practice painting, you need to have a great love for art, enthusiasm, energy and passion which can be seen in my works. I create paintings of a rich color content to arouse interest in my painting in the audience, to induce a better mood, positive emotions and peace of mind. At the end, the viewer makes his own conclusion about the works that can be positive or negative.
What advice would you give to the upcoming generation of artists?
Considering my great life experience, it makes me very happy that I can give some useful advice to a young person about his/her artistic work. I think every person has a certain gift for art and that he/she can develop his/ her creativity at any time of his/her life. Each and even the smallest success requires a lot of work and practice. Creativity needs to be presented to an audience that can give their opinion on the performance. I would like to mention one of the French painters, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, who suffered from severe joint disease deformities and in his old age he became dependent on a wheelchair. He needed a great effort to hold a brush but he did it and expressed his love for the art by not giving up and making magnificent paintings.
In what direction would you like to see your career go in the next five years?
In future, I will continue to paint in an abstract style in which the focus will be on abstract expressionism and geometric abstraction, although I will occasionally paint figuratively too. I will try to build my own expression and authenticity with new ideas. I plan to have several solo exhibitions in Croatia and abroad where the art critics would get to know my works. I also intend to participate in group exhibitions such as fairs of painting and the biennales.
Country Croatia
