The incredible extensiveness of the fires raging all over Australia, the suffering of the animals and the helplessness of the people cannot let a person stay indifferent. It was painful, day after day, to watch the horrible spectacles of burning forests that will never again be what they were before. And that’s not all. After the first explosion of heat and all that those that will follow, the whole ordeal will be repeated, perhaps in the same dimensions or to an even greater extent. Not only in one location but in many places around the world, on every continent. To add to all that, there was COVID 19, a similar threatening danger of global dimensions, with even more numerous victims, a pandemic; we could follow its outburst and spreading from one day to the next. I am convinced that the process has only just begun, while we cannot fathom its real consequences and foresee its extent.
For me, the only possibility is to observe this tragedy and use the means at my disposal to record it as a painter who feels sorry for this beautiful world that keeps disappearing from our sight. For ever!
Herman Gvardjančič
August 2020
Herman Gvardjančič
Herman Gvardjančič studied first at the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education under professors Zoran Didek, Milovan Kranjc and France Uršič between 1963–1964. Later, he continued his studies of painting at the University of Ljubljana Academy of Fine Arts (ALU) under professors Frančišek Smerdu, Slavko Pengov, France Mihelič, Marij Pregelj, Nikolaj Omersa, Klavdij Zornik, and graduated in 1968 under professor Maksim Sedej from the ALU. In 1970, he completed his postgraduate studies under professor Zoran Didek at the ALU.
In 1971, he started working as a teacher in various primary schools. He went on study trips to Poland in 1974 and to Germany in 1977. He had lectured drawing and painting at the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Education between 1987-1997 From 1997 to his retirement in 2012, he was appointed to the position of professor and worked as the Head of the Department for Drawing and Painting at the University of Ljubljana Academy of Fine Arts and Design (ALUO).