Branko Cvetkovic facts for kids

Branko Cvetkovic (born April 15, 1951) is a Slovenian photographer. He is known for his deep thinking about photography. He often uses special large-format cameras. His photos of buildings are very simple and structured. He explores how light and space work together in his art.

Biography

Branko Cvetkovic was born on April 15, 1951, in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. This was part of former Yugoslavia. He studied economics at the University of Ljubljana. After his studies, he worked for different research groups. He even worked as an expert for the government of Seychelles. He also helped the United Nations organization called Habitat.

He first got into photography in 1986 in the Seychelles. He was fascinated by light, which reminded him of his childhood. He also started to appreciate fine art more. His first projects were about Creole houses. He also continuously photographed the light over Silhouette Island.

When he returned home, he stopped working as an economist. He decided to become an artist instead. He believed art was more important and lasting. He improved his photography skills and understanding of art. Since 1990, he has been a professional photographer. He mostly photographs buildings, industry, and art.

Branko Cvetkovic lives in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Artistic Work

At first, Branko Cvetkovic's photography ideas came naturally. Later, he studied art and photography more deeply. He looked at conceptual art and simple styles like Bauhaus and Russian constructivism.

In his photos of buildings, he used very clear and simple ideas. His work can be compared to the Bechers’ Düsseldorf school. He focused on how light shapes space. He also worked on showing the form of buildings. He was very objective, meaning he showed things as they truly were.

Later, he developed a philosophical idea called "Non-Space." This means turning real space into an abstract image. He changed three-dimensional space into a flat, abstract picture. This led him to abstract expressionism.

Bauhaus Period

In his early work (1990-1995), Cvetkovic explored light and images. He broke them down into layers to create new pictures. He wanted to frame them in the style of Bauhaus modernism.

During this time, he worked on simple and conceptual projects. These included "Rocks and Water" and "Light within Seashells." He also created "Waves" and "Series of Seawater Abstractions." His projects continued with abstract styles. These were "Lux Plantarum" (1997) and "Light of Shadow – Drawing of Form" (1998). Both were shown in Ljubljana.

This led to his complex industrial photography work. He did this at the Akrapovic firm in 1997-1998 and 2002-2003. These projects were called "Tubes," "Chinese Cosmos," "Abstractions," and "Bauhaus." His last work in this area was "Locomotives" (2005).

Architecture: From Simple Structures to Deconstruction

In his architectural photography, Cvetkovic moved from structuralism to deconstructivism. Structuralism focuses on the basic structure of things. Deconstructivism breaks down those structures.

Early on, Cvetkovic thought about how to build a clear frame for his photos. He also focused on how to show light within a space. So, his architectural photos are simple, logical, and clear. The light in his photos is defined by the building itself. This way, he developed his own modern style of architectural photography.

Old Industrial Buildings – Exploring Light

His first exhibition, "The Old Power Station" in Ljubljana (1992), started this series. He continued with projects on old industrial buildings like Rog and an old brick factory. These were shown in 1997 as "Past Spaces." In these works, Cvetkovic didn't just record the buildings. He also explored the light within them. He showed architecture by changing the way he framed pictures. He also created "new" perspectives by flipping parts of the image. This was similar to Russian constructivism.

Symmetry and Simplicity – Plecnik's Marketplace

In 1996, Cvetkovic showed his full architectural photography style. This was with his exhibition of Plecnik's Marketplace. He changed how architecture was shown in Slovenia. He focused on how the buildings worked. He photographed Plecnik's buildings during their renovation.

He used a very strict, simple, and symmetrical approach. He corrected the perspective of the buildings. He used soft, even light that seemed to come from the object itself. This method was similar to the Düsseldorf school. The exhibition was held at the Municipal Gallery of Ljubljana. It came with a book about his work. This helped him become known to important Slovenian cultural places. He became famous for his photos of their buildings, including their renovations. His photos are now in the archives of many institutions. These include the National University Library and the Cankar Cultural Centre.

Plecnik's National University Library in Ljubljana

Cvetkovic did a lot of work on Plecnik's National and University Library of Slovenia (NUK). This was in 1998-1999 and 2003. He used large format cameras for these photos. His photography style was based on the Düsseldorf school.

One amazing photo is of the main entrance. For the first time, the entire facade was shown in one perfect picture. He combined three vertical photos to make it. This was very difficult because the street was narrow.

Cvetkovic aimed for perfection, just like Plecnik. In each space he photographed, he also thought about its symbolic meaning. He wanted to show the beauty of the architecture. He did this by building up layers in his photos. He used less light and focused on the shape of the space. This showed Plecnik's classical architectural style.

Opera House in Ljubljana

Cvetkovic also photographed the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre in Ljubljana. This was a big project done in 2002, 2003, 2007, and 2007-2011. He explored this theater as a classic amphitheater space.

deKons

In 2004, Cvetkovic showed his new series called "Deconstruction of Light." It was also known as "Sequential Constructions of the Space Planes: the Spaces of Spaces," or deKons for short. This work started during the renovation of the Auersperg palace. He moved away from the Düsseldorf school style. He changed the classic upright perspective. He framed the architectural image in a way that led to abstract art. This allowed him to break free from traditional rules.

He explained that he was not just building perspective by flipping planes. He was breaking down perspective and planes by deconstructing light. This created a new, abstract, deconstructed space.

Backstage

Another project, "Backstage," was done at Cankar Cultural Centre in 2004 and 2005. Cvetkovic explored the idea of abstract space. He showed it as a changing construction. These "Backstage" spaces are where creativity happens. A static picture of a building becomes a dynamic, broken-down space. It is split into planes where people act and create.

Two special series within "Backstage" focus on the Stage as a Podium and as a Hall. The first series shows the stage like a Pollock painting. It has many timeless color marks that show human actions on the stage. The second series shows a hall as a deconstructed Malevich square plane. Each is defined by a unique color. Both series start with a black square. This is a seven-minute exposure in a dark space. It sets the mood for an abstract image of unknown expectation.

En Face

Many art critics say Cvetkovic reached new heights with his "En Face" exhibition. This was at the National Gallery of Slovenia in 2005. It came with a book about his work.

These large photos, some digitally combined, show building facades. They represent the technical, cultural, social, and historical aspects of a place. The facade shows what a place is about. Cvetkovic said that a building is unique to its place. And that place becomes unique to that building. This shows how loyal he was to his ideas in photography and art. He was very close to the Düsseldorf school in this work.

Cvetkovic is excellent at managing space and correcting perspective. He makes his photos show the timeless and complete nature of structured spaces. He also shows things as architecture in themselves.

The Field of Abstract Expressionism

Non-Space / ZeroSpace

From 2008 to 2010, Cvetkovic finished his big project called "NON-SPACE / ZeroSPACE." He moved into abstract expressionism with this work. He used large format film for his photos.

His idea of "non-space" is the opposite of real space. Real space turns into "anti-space." This is a totally abstract space. In art, it means removing perspective, light, and real time. What's left is an abstract, expressive flat surface. This brings back important art ideas: perspective, light, and space. The change from space to a flat surface supports the idea of a black and white square. Cvetkovic is very strong in his ideas. He connects art principles with the human experience of death. In this context, he creates amazing photos of vast seascapes. He turns these huge spaces into simple, abstract flat surfaces. These images are new to Slovenian art.

The main idea is to slowly remove perspective. Space then smoothly changes into a flat "screen." His "Screens" series has many variations and colors. They show space becoming an expressive two-dimensional surface. The "Black and white plane" series is the final step. It represents "NON-SPACE│ZeroSPACE." It is a total abstraction with no dimension.

White Lights as Heaven Lights

Even with all the reduction and darkness, a desire for total freedom appears. This is shown as a huge space in the open sky and light. It can be called heaven's light or simply big magic light. This light lasts forever and brightens everything. It is a symbol of the human mind's eternal space.

"White lights" are open ocean spaces with huge bursts of light. They have immense light rays and even bigger light chasms. These chasms swallow everything, turning it into dazzling white light. This is the main idea for the project that also leads to the "Heaven Lights" idea.

Long before impressionists, William Turner was a painter who focused on light. In his paintings like "Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps" (1812), he explored light as a spiritual idea. He showed light as a powerful force that draws the viewer in.

Cvetkovic believes these ideas are great for moving into abstract, non-material art. It's about photography facing its most basic element: Light. His project explores sublime light, moving from darkness to light. It's a spiritual journey traced by light. Photography, with light as its main tool, can capture this.

Cvetkovic uses a large format 8x10 inch camera. Its high resolution and long exposures can capture light in abstract images.

Reading of Photography

Cvetkovic's photography is very objective. Symmetry is a key part of his work. Expressiveness is shown by using or not using perspective. The "Screen" and "Plane" series are like abstract expressionism. These huge, simple surfaces with a supernatural feel have a grand impact. They show an abstract pattern that we all carry inside us. "White Lights" mainly uses symmetries and strong reflective light on the ocean.

Exhibitions

Cvetkovic started showing his work in 1992. His main solo exhibitions are described in the sections above.

Major Solo Exhibitions

• 1992 – Old Power Station Ljubljana, KUD France Prešeren, Ljubljana
• 1996 – Plecnik's Marketplace, City Art Museum Ljubljana
• 1997 – Lux Plantarum, Krka Gallery, Ljubljana
• 1997 – Past Spaces, Tiskarna Ljudske pravice, Ljubljana, selected solo exhibition of European Month of Culture
• 1998 – Light of Shadow – Drawing of Form, Cankar Cultural Centre, Ljubljana
• 2004 – deKons (Deconstruction of Light – Sequential Constructions of the Space Planes: the Spaces of Spaces), City Museum of Ljubljana
• 2005 – Backstage, Cankar Cultural Centre, Ljubljana
• 2005 – En Face, National Gallery of Slovenia, Ljubljana
• 2010 – NON-SPACE/ZeroSPACE, [1], Prom-Galerie, Munich
• 2018 - NON-SPACE│ZeroSPACE Gallery Božidar Jakac – former monastery church Kostanjevica na Krki [2] Katalog: [3]
• 2019 - Beyond Perspective, ATELJE GALERIJA, Ljubljana, [4]
• 2019 - Into the Square, ATELJE GALERIJA, Ljubljana [5]

Selected Exhibitions

• 2006 – Figure at the beginning of century, Velenje ISBN: 978-961-91874-0-1
• 2006 – New Photography, Zalec
• 2006 – Transitions, Monat der Fotografie, Vienna [6]
• 2006 – Month of Photography, Ljubljana, by Photon Gallery
• 2007 – Politically, Velenje
• 2007– Vienna Fair – International Contemporary Art Fair, Vienna
• 2008 – Vienna Fair – International Contemporary Art Fair, Vienna
• 2008 – Trieste Fotografia by Photon Gallery, Narodni dom, Trieste
• 2010 – MARE NOSTRUM, Galleria Forni, Bologna
• 2011 – One Season Show, by Prom-Galerie, Munich
• 2011 – The End as the Beginning, Galleria Ono Arte, Bologna
• 2011 – Slovenian Photography 1991 – 2011, MAO, Ljubljana
• 2014 – City Perspectives [7], Ankerbrotfabrik Vienna, by Photon Gallery
• 2014 – The Protagonists of Slovenian Contemporary Art 1968 – 2013, Villa Manin, Italy
• 2015 – The Protagonists of Slovenian Contemporary Art 1968 – 2013, Künstlerhaus, Vienna
• 2015 – The Protagonists of Slovenian Contemporary Art 1968 – 2013, Gliptoteka, Zagreb
• 2017 - All Kinds of Surprises - Viewing the Carmen Würth Collection, Museum Würth, Künzelsau - Gaisbach, Germany

Art Market

Until 2006, Cvetkovic organized his own solo exhibitions. After his big exhibition in 2005, he started working with Photon Gallery in Ljubljana. From 2010 to 2016, he was represented by Prom-Galerie in Munich.

Collections

Cvetkovic's works are in many collections. These include Slovenian cultural institutions and private owners. Some places that hold his work are: National University Library, Cankar Cultural Centre, Slovenian National Opera and Ballet, Slovenian Philharmonic Hall, Municipal Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana, and The Carmen Würth Collection.

Books

Cvetkovic has written many books. You can find over 125 references to his work in the Slovenian Online Bibliographic System COBISS. His most important books are:

• "The market in Ljubljana designed by the architect Joze Plecnik", Zalozba Rokus, 1996. ISBN: 961-209-033-5
• "Deconstruction of Light – Sequential Construction of the Space Plains: the Spaces of Spaces" COBISS 214121984, Mestna galerija Ljubljana, 2004
• "En face, art monograph – catalogue of the exhibition En face", 2005. ISBN: 961-236-952-6
• "Branko Cvetkovič: NE-PROSTOR│Nični PROSTOR, NON-SPACE│ZeroSPACE", 2018, published by Galerija Božidar Jakac.

Awards

From 1992 to 1996, Cvetkovic won several awards. He was recognized for his roles as creative, conceptual, or art director, co-designer, and photographer.

• "Golden MM 1992"
• "Epica 1992"
• "Epica 1996"