CVETO (FLORJAN) MEJAČ

Cveto Mejač’s creative path has also been forged by his research into creative possibilities. His works reveal a talented, versatile artist who selects classical motifs and also experiments with more challenging ones. He pursues an adventurous selection of colours and style, moving from the comfortable tonality of realistic landscapes, across abstract depictions of nature (the sunrise), to portraits which appear to capture his own soul.

Alenka Černelič Krošelj, Lecturer of Art History, Ethnologist and Cultural Anthropologist

CVETO was born 3rd May, 1914, in Kamnik, Slovenia.

He died: 12th February, 1992, Queensland, Australia.

Cveto grew up and was educated in Kamnik, Slovenia.

He studied Architecture at Universities in Belgrade, Florence, Munich and Melbourne.

Cveto lived through the war years, and after withstanding much hardship and experiencing life in prison camps, he arrived in Australia in 1949.

As an accomplished architect, he used his skills to renovate various churches and other significant buildings, both in Slovenia and in different

parts of Australia.

Cveto also worked with brushes and paint.

His works exclusively depict religious persons and events. His final work, depicting the suffering of Christ, represent, in part, his life suffering and that of the Slovenian nation, which at the time of his death, achieved the independence.

His daughter remembers (in Slovenian):

“Očka je bil vedno zelo zaposlen. Včasih se je cele dneve, celo tedne, zaprl v svoj delovni prostor in ustvarjal; ustvarjal neprekinjeno, dneve in noči. Včasih mi je bilo kar hudo, da se ni zmenil za nikogar, niti zame.
Izredno sem ponosna na očka. V letih ustvarjanja je dosegel, kar malokdo doseže v svojem življenju.
Veliko je pretrpel in ni vedno zaupal.
Tudi meni je govoril: “Manj veš o meni, bolje je zate.”
Zamisel, načrt in izvedba so mu bili zelo pomembni cilji. Vedno jih je tudi dosegel.
V svetovnem merilu je zelo dobro priznan, saj se njegovi patenti uporabljajo še danes pri gradnji – veliko delo! Njegovi spomeniki – njegova dela krasijo metropolitanska mesta sveta – očka je bil velikan izrazne umetnosti.
Nisva se videla velikokrat, včasih je samo poklical in od vsega začetka, od mojega prihoda v Avstralijo, me je navduševal za učenje in izboljšanje angleščine.
Rad je imel vnuke in podaril mi je portrete mojih otrok, katere je narisal in so mi zelo dragi.
Veliko svojih del je daroval prijatelju p. Baziliju Valentinu OFM MBE v slovenski misijon v Kew, Melbourne.
Bil je tudi mislec in je veliko premišljeval.
V slikarskem in kiparskem delu najdemo tudi njega samega in njegov odnos do narave, političnega življenja in sočloveka.”

    War Memorial in Tasmania

More information   on Cvetko Florjan Mejač

Photo Gallery

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Cveto Mejač – the Artist

Cveto Mejač the Arhitect

Cveto Mejač remembers the Refugee Camp at Teharje

Video Gallery