IVAN KOS: BLACK DISTRCT

Watercolours and graphics are the two most frequently used techniques in the diverse artistic oeuvre of the Maribor-based painter and graphic artist Ivan Kos. Kos’ early graphics, created during his studies in Prague and after his return to Maribor, are simpler and display elements of New Objectivity, whereas the graphics from the 1930s are more complex and are consequently considered to be the best in his oeuvre. In contrast to his earlier work, his work in this period displayed a higher level of detail, because of the less demanding linocut technique. Kos emphasized the black-and-white contrast for a more dramatic effect. Even though no people are depicted, the Black District displays an evident social theme, which the artist was exploring in the 1930s. The house-lined street and chimney on the distant hill bear a resemblance to the Slovenian coalmining town of Trbovlje and its colonies. The miner’s dwellings appear dreary; these are the homes of people living in poor conditions on the fringes of society. The row of tall terraced houses, which take up a large part of the picture, are covered with soot. The feeling of entrapment is accentuated by the narrow street and the hills in the background, which obscure the view into the distance. Against this gloominess stands the whiteness of the sky, and although the graphic technique itself enhances the contrast, the symbolism of the colour black intensifies the anxiety of the miners’ lives. (Vanesa Erjavec, in the framework of the Creative Path to Knowledge project, Virtual Legends; The investment is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union from the European Social Fund)

ID

1578/G

Address

BLACK DISTRCT

Authors

IVAN KOS

Materials

paper

Techniques

linocut

Measurements

- L: 31 x 23; Pl: 25 x 15,5 cm

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