Jože Tisnikar was one of the most distinctive Slovenian painters, self-taught with a charismatic personality, and considered "a lone wanderer" by others. He was born on the 28th of February 1928 at the foot of the Pohorje Hills, in the village of Mislinja.

Tisnikar's works depict the fleetingness of human life and as well as the people of this world. His artistic inspiration came from his living and work environment, especially through work at the Department of Pathology at the Slovenj Gradec General Hospital. He painted his first hospital-inspired painting called Post-Mortem ("Obdukcija") in 1995.

Tisnikar's drawings and paintings became even more intense under the guidance of Karel Pečko. From 1958 to 1998, Tisnikar held more than 100 individual expositions at home and abroad, and was also part of numerous group expositions.

In 1970, Tisnikar won the Prešeren Foundation Award for the paintings exhibited in 1969. He was also renowned and esteemed abroad, and is most famous for his depictions of ravens and obscure images of dead people, funerals, landscapes, and self-portraits. His works of art are full of expressionist and existential imagery. He was using different types of drawing and painting techniques in his works, especially encaustic, or hot wax painting.

In 1998, Jože Tisnikar sadly died in a car accident, soon after the July opening of his retrospective exposition at The Gallery of Fine Arts Slovenj Gradec.

Bibliography and Collection of Artwork