Kossa Bokchan facts for kids

Kossa Bokchan (born January 1, 1925, died November 21, 2009) was a famous Serbian painter. She was born in Berlin, Germany, and later lived in Paris, France. Kossa was married to fellow artist Petar Omčikus.

Kossa Bokchan's Early Life and Art School

Kossa Bokchan moved to Belgrade, Serbia, with her family in 1928. She was only three years old then. During World War II, when she was a teenager, Kossa began studying painting. She learned from artists like Mladen Josić and Zora Petrović.

Later, Bokchan went to the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade. She studied with Ivan Tabaković. Her classmates included Petar Omčikus, who would become her husband. Other students in her class were Mića Popović, Bata Mihailović, Vera Božičković, Ljubinka Jovanović, and Mileta Andrejević.

Kossa Bokchan's Art Career

In 1947, Bokchan joined an art group called Zadarska grupa. This group was formed after World War II in Yugoslavia. Kossa first showed her artwork to the public in 1950. Her very first solo art show was in 1952.

After this, Bokchan moved to Paris, France, with Petar Omčikus. Paris became her new home. She had her first art exhibition there in 1954. Starting in 1960, she often spent summers in Vela Luka on the island of Korčula.

Bokchan's art has been shown in many cities. These include Lille, Paris, Strasbourg, Rome, Nancy, Novi Sad, Niš, Zagreb, Skopje, and Podgorica. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade held a special show of her work in 2001. This type of show is called a retrospective. Another retrospective was held in Paris in 2010. Besides painting, Bokchan also worked as an illustrator for books and other publications.

Kossa Bokchan's Art Style

Kossa Bokchan's painting style changed a lot over the years. At first, she moved away from a style called socialist realism. Instead, she painted landscapes and portraits. This change was clear in her first art show. She also stopped painting things like "still life and skeletons," which she learned at the Academy.

Her art style is often described as expressive realism. When she moved to Paris, her art started to follow new trends. She explored geometric and lyrical abstraction. These styles use shapes and colors to express feelings. Later, after 1961, Bokchan returned to a type of realism. Art historian Michel Ragon called this "abstract naturalism." Bokchan's art was also influenced by the Byzantine tradition. She used old symbols and myths in her paintings.

Awards and Recognition

Kossa Bokchan received several awards for her artistic achievements:

• 1968: She received an award from the Ministry of Culture and Communication in Paris.
• 2000: She won a Special Award at the Sixth International Biennial of Miniature Art in Gornji Milanovac.