Lojze Spacal

Življenjepis in bibliografija

Lojze Spacal Življenjepis in bibliografija Kamniti relief vzidan ob vhodu v hišo Lojzeta Spacala na Punti v Piranu ❚ Stone relief built by the entrance of Lojze Spacal's house on Punta in Piran

na naslovnici: Lojze Spacal v Savudriji, okoli 1960 ❚ on cover: Lojze Spacal in Savudrija, circa 1960

na notranji strani platnic: V ateljeju ob grafiki Lunapark (izrez), 1954 ❚ on the inside cover: In studio with his print Fun Fair (detail), 1954 Drago Mirošič Spomini na prijatelja umetnika

Umetnost Lojzeta Spacala me je pritegnila, še preden sva se v šestdesetih letih osebno spoznala. Prijateljstvo sva poglobila, ko sem bil v Trstu generalni konzul. Takrat sva se pogosto srečevala. Pogosto sem ga spremljal na njegovih razstavah. Eno izmed njih, kjer sem ga predstavil, so v jeseni 1988 pripravili v pos- tojnski galeriji Modrijanov mlin. Z mojo soprogo sva ga obiskovala v njegovi hiši v Škrbini. To hišo je prvič predstavil krogu prijateljev leta 1973, po odprtju njegove velike pregledne razstave v kromberškem gradu. Očarani smo bili nad skladnostjo in natančnostjo, s katero je obnovil tipično kraško hišo z ognjiščem vred, ne da bi ji odvzel izvirno podobo. Kamniti in leseni elementi, stari ali na novo vdelani, tudi tisti skrivljeni tramovi vseh oblik, kot jih je oblikovala surova kraška burja in kmečke roke kraških kamnosekov, se iz njegove hiše zlivajo v znane grafike. Bil je ponosen na stiskalnico za grafične liste, ki jo je izdelal s pomočjo domačinov. Gostje v Škrbini smo bili postreženi po domače, s kraškim pršutom in teranom. Jeseni smo včasih pekli kostan- Slikar me je večkrat povabil je na ognjišču, ki je bilo postavljeno po stari navadi. Slikar me je večkrat povabil v svoje stanovanje v Trstu. v svoje stanovanje v Trstu. Presenečalo je zaradi svoje preprostosti in ozračja, ki je tamkaj vladalo. V skrivnostni tišini je bilo čutiti neko Presenečalo je zaradi svoje čudežno opojnost in veličino njegovih del, ki so bila nakopičena v stanovanju. preprostosti in ozračja, ki je Spominjam se poti po Krasu. Ustavila sva se v tej ali oni gostilni v okolici Dutovelj, Tupelč, Koprive in dru- tamkaj vladalo. V skrivnostni god. Včasih je prišel tudi v Lokev, kjer si je ogledoval prenovo naše stare domačije, ki je tudi vsa v kamnu. tišini je bilo čutiti neko čudežno Takrat sem veliko zvedel o njegovem življenju, o težki mladosti, o zaporih, ki jih je preživel kot antifašist, poz- opojnost in veličino njegovih nanstvu z Mušičem, Černigojem, Kosovelom in drugimi. Večkrat je omenil, kako so ga v rani mladosti pre- del, ki so bila nakopičena v vzele barvne podobe na steklu, ki so visele na snežno belih zidovih v hiši njegove none. Vendar se ni vračal stanovanju. samo v preteklost. Intenzivno je spremljal tokove sodobnega slikarstva. Družil se je z znanimi slikarji s Tržaškega, ki sem jih prav tako spoznal. Ni mi ušlo, da je pozorno spremljal mlajše zamejske slikarje. Nekaterim zamejskim je že napovedal uspešno pot.

Prijateljevanje z Lojzetom mi je omogočilo, da sem do podrobnosti spoznal njegov slikarski ego. Kot Kraševec sem hitro spoznal, kako tenkočuten odnos je imel do Krasa in do posebnostih te enkratne pokrajine, kar se je tako močno odrazilo v njegovi umetniški izpovedi. Globoko spoštovanje je izkazoval do kraške ljudske ust- varjalnosti in umetnosti, posebej v kamnu. Včasih mi je rekel, da je kamen zanj svetinja. Nekoč sem v nekem članku o Lojzetu napisal, da mi ni bilo nikoli težko verjeti v to, kar je ustvaril. Bolj kot sem ga spoznaval, bolj sem razumel, kaj je hotel povedati o Krasu.

Sicer ni bil prav pretirano zgovoren. Če pa mu je beseda stekla, je bil nepopisno zanimiv. Tudi kakšen navaden dogodek je znal obrniti, da si se moral od srca nasmejati. Tako je pripovedoval o tistem, ko sta se po večerji peljala po ozki kraški poti z njegovim tržaškim prijateljem, tudi slikarjem, ki je vozil Lojzetov osebni avtomo- bil. Prijatelju je teran preveč omehčal roke, zato je avto vijugal. Lojze ga je opozoril, naj pazi, kako in kod vozi. Voznik pa mu je presenečeno odgovoril: " Ma, kdo vozi ? Ali ne voziš ti ?"

V sredini osemdesetih let je postala zamisel, da bi nekje na Krasu postavili njegovo stalno zbirko, vse bolj real- na. O tem sva se precej pogovarjala. Menil je, da bi bilo najboljše, če bi galerijo uredili nekje ob slovensko- italijanski meji. Zavedal se je svojih slovenskih korenin in tega, da so ga kot slikarja dobro poznali z obeh strani meje. Njegova umetnost je odpravljala miselne pregrade ob meji, ki je postajala čedalje bolj odprta. Povezoval

Življenjepis in bibliografija 3 je slovenski in italijanski kulturni svet in bil hkrati vtkan v mednarodno likovno umetnost. Premišljevala sva, kje bi bila najbolj primerna lokacija. Hiša v Škrbini je bila premajhna. Ogledovala sva si neko lokacijo tudi v Sežani. Izkazalo se je, da bi bil najbolj primeren štanjelski grad iz sedemnajstega stoletja.

Zdelo se mi je kar normalno, da je želel naj pomagam glede galerije. Nekako je slutil, da bom kot njegov pri- jatelj gonilna sila projekta in da bom dal vse od sebe, da bi galerija zagledala luč sveta. V odboru za galerijo, Škrbina na Krasu ❚ Škrbina on the Karst ki sem ga vodil, so predano sodelovali arh. Nataša Šumi, Nelida Silič Nemec, dr. Marijan Slabe, mag. Zorko Harej, Mitja Mozetič, Suzana Mirošič, ki je s slikarjem precej osebno sodelovala, Miloš Bajc, Bojana Kermolj in Damjan Grmek. Zavedali smo se, da smo se spoprijeli z veliko in težavno nalogo, posebno še, ker je pome- nila obnova štanjelskega gradu izredno pomemben korak k ohranitvi kulturne dediščine.

V sredini osemdesetih let je Sijajni načrt delne obnove gradu, kjer naj bila galerija, je izdelala arhitektka Šumijeva. Zavedala se je pomem- postala zamisel, da bi nekje na bnosti obnove Štanjela, ki ga je dobro poznala Zahtevni projekt, povezan z velikimi stroški, ki je naletel v Krasu postavili njegovo stalno javnosti na veliko podporo, je zahteval tesno sodelovanje z občino Sežana, Goriškim muzejem, Zavodom za zbirko, vse bolj realna. O tem spomeniško varstvo v Novi Gorici in z drugimi slovenskimi ustanovami s področja varstva kulturne dediščine. sva se precej pogovarjala. Pomembna je bila podpora in pomoč takratne slovenske vlade oziroma republiškega izvršnega sveta, ki ga je Menil je, da bi bilo najboljše, vodil predsednik Dušan Šinigoj. Projekt je terjal še druge pomembne stvari. Pripravili smo darilno pogodbo, če bi galerijo uredili nekje ob s katero je Lojze na račun galerije podaril občini Sežana v trajno last 50 slik in 78 grafik. To smo slovesno slovensko-italijanski meji. potrdili z javnim podpisom na občini. Ni potrebno posebej poudarjati, da so vsa dela, povezana z galerijo, potekala z Lojzetovim sodelovanjem. Zraven je bil pri vseh podrobnostih, od začetka do konca.

Galerijo smo odprli 27. maja 1988. Razstavo je uredil in opremil umetnik sam. Ob tej priložnosti je izšel vse- binsko bogat katalog, ki so mu bile dodane spominske grafike. Nelida je v priložnostni brošuri napisala o umetniku in galeriji. Tistega lepega in toplega majskega večera je bilo grajsko dvorišče polno gostov, ki sva jih povabila Ivan Vodopivec, sežanski župan, in jaz kot predsednik odbora za galerijo. Prišli so iz vse Slovenije, iz kulturno-umetniških krogov iz Trsta, številni zamejski Slovenci, Štanjelci in drugi. Večer je izzvenel v mogočen kulturni praznik in spev umetnosti. Po fanfarah, Zdravljici, ki so jo zapeli združeni pevski zbori iz sežanske občine, in nagovorih je sledil umetniški program. Najprej so izvedli baletno predstavo "Dvoboj" v navzočnosti avtorja, tržaškega skladatelja De Banfielda Tripcovicha, barona Raffaella, sicer mojega kolega iz tržaške skupine konzulov. Gledališka igralca Mira Sardoč in Polde Bibič sta recitirala pesmi Srečka Kosovela in Cirila Zlobca. Na koncu so zaplesali ognjeviti Ravelov Bolero. Nato je sledilo odprtje galerije. Med ljudmi je vladalo za mojstrova dela velikansko zanimanje. Ves čas sem bil z Lojzetom, ki je bil zadovoljen, da se je njegova želja uresničila. Na koncu sva ostala skoraj sama, tako da sva zadnja prišla na sprejem. Ob dogodku v Štanjelu sem v Primorskem dnevniku zapisal, da se je Lojze s svojo podarjeno zbirko najlepše oddolžil Krasu, Kraševci pa njemu z galerijo.

V devetdesetih letih sem bil slovenski veleposlanik v Sarajevu. Srčno sem želel, da bi Lojzetu priredili veliko pregledno razstavo tudi v mestu, ki je prestalo svojo Golgoto in kjer je bila kultura vedno visoko cenjena. O razstavi v Sarajevu smo se dogovorili z Goriškim muzejem, ki ga je vodila Slavica Plahuta. Razstavo smo pripravili septembra 1999 v prostorih največje sarajevske galerije Collegium Artisticum. Ta dogodek, ki je v mestu odmeval, je bil nekaj izjemnega, prežet s spoštovanjem publike do umetnika, ki je, čeprav že v visoki starosti in ne več dobrega zdravja, prišel v Sarajevo. Odprtja razstave, na kateri sva o umetniku govorila Zoran Kržišnik, direktor Mednarodnega grafičnega in likovnega centra v Ljubljani, in jaz, se je udeležilo veliko ljudi, med njimi visoki državni predstavniki in veleposlaniki ter drugi člani diplomatskega zbora v Sarajevu. Lojze je

4 Lojze Spacal bil presenečen nad tolikšno množico. Sarajevčani so ga sprejeli z največjim spoštovanjem. Ko je pevski zbor Slovenskega kulturnega društva Cankar iz Sarajeva zapel Prešernovo "Pod oknom", mi je Lojze prišepnil, da je to pesem pela njegova nona. Veliko pozornost je vzbudila slika z naslovom "Premirje v Bosni", ki je nasta- la ob Lojzetovi veliki prizadetosti zaradi trpljenja ljudi v med vojno obleganemu Sarajevu.

Zadnjikrat sva se videla na razstavi v Moderni galeriji v Ljubljani maja 2000. Tu sva mu s Suzano, ne da bi slutila, kaj se bo čez nekaj dni zgodilo, poslednjikrat segla v roko. Čez nekaj dni so mi sporočili v Sarajevo žalostno vest. Globoko mi je bilo žal zaradi odhoda velikega umetnika, akademskega slikarja in prijatelja. Odšel sem v pisarno in napisal o njem krajše besedilo, ki ga je naslednji dan objavilo Delo. Omenil sem, da smo ljudje s Krasa videli v njegovi umetnosti tudi nekoliko sebe, kot dela pokrajine, iz katere smo izšli, s Krasa, ki ga je imel Lojze rad in kateremu je vtisnil nesmrtno umetniško podobo. Na koncu sem vodil v galeriji v Štan- jelu spominsko sejo. Med zadnjim slovesom sem stal blizu večnega umetnikovega počivališča. Spomnil sem se, da sva nekoč obiskala škrbinsko pokopališče, kjer je želel biti pokopan. Na misel mi je prišlo, kar mi je ob neki priložnosti rekel: "Drago, še jih je, Kraševcev".

Življenjepis in bibliografija 5 Zoran Kržišnik Lojze Spacal

Svet, ki ga razodevajo slike, grafike in skulpture ter razmišljanja Lojzeta Spacala, je umetnikova notranja pokrajina, katere koncept se je zarisoval z življenjem in izkušnjami in se vse bolj izščiščeval, bolj ko je z leti zorel umetnikov talent. To pa ne pomeni, da bi bil talent mladega umetnika manjši ali da bi dela njegove mlade zrelosti ne mogla doseči enako visoke ravni. Ne. Toda talent je pri umetniku, ki ga ima v veliki, polni meri, vedno v službi življenjskih dognanj; in življenjska dognanja postajajo pri mojstru, ki ne vene, temveč bolj in bolj dozoreva, globlja in po svoje preprostejša, ker se rešijo akcidentalnosti, ki jih vsiljuje zamegljenost mladostnih strasti in se osredotočajo na trajno in bistveno. Govorica, s katero skuša izraziti jezik Spacalove umetnosti, se je že vsa desetletja vztrajno vračala k domači besedi - v prenesenem smislu: vse bolj so spregovorile forme in barve kraškega življa, od koder Spacal izvira, barvnost pokrajine, ki je bogata belega kamenja, rdeče zemlje, temnih borovcev, rjavega lesa, pa tudi žive sinjine neba, tembolj intenzivne, kadar se pne nad goljavo; in oblike kamnov, senenih kop, preprosto grajenih hiš, na videz okornih kmečkih orodij, ki jih je zgladila stoletna raba.

Vsa ta na prvi pogled enolična in skopa, pri bistrejšem opazovanju pa neverjetno bogata zakladnica življenjsko bistvenih materialov in oblik - in prav tako bistvenih barv - je ponujala Spacalu, umetniku prodornega očesa in neverjetno spretne roke, porojene iz že omenjene domače kamnoseške tradicije, dopolnjene z znanjem rodov kmečkih gospodarjev, ki so sami izdelovali in popravljali potrebno leseno orodje, zaželena izrazila za likovno podajanje svojega, Spacalovskega sveta. Prek vida, ki je tako in tako najbolj razviti človeški čut in nam naklanja največ dognanj in videnj, posreduje umetnik celotnost svojih doživetij in oblikuje svoj nezamenljivi umetniški svet.

Če sledimo Spacalovi razvojni poti, ne moremo mimo doživetja v času njegove internacije; ko je reven kmetič naročal krsto za svojo štiriletno hčerko, je Spacal pretresen, ob dogodku, ponudil pomoč in mu skrbno poslikal krsto. Presenečen ob tem, koliko pozornosti je to njegovo delo zbudilo med pričujočimi, označuje to kot eno temeljnih, pomembnih srečanj njegove umetnosti z maloštevilno javnostjo. Ta dogodek pa je pustil, bolje rečeno, sprostil v avtorju niz čarobnih spominov njegovega otroštva in kmalu sledimo obdobju - ciklu, ki ga poznavalci in spremljevalci Spacalove umetnosti poimenujejo magični realizem.

Število predmetov, na katere so se vezale neizpolnjene otroške sanje, ni veliko: semkaj spadajo ogledalo, čarob- ni predmet, v katerega ujameš vsaj privid neulovljivega; prav tako stol ali pa petrolejka, pa tudi vaza z eksotič- nimi rožami, včasih komoda ali pa vrtni kipec. Če bi po oblikovalni plati iskali vpliv na tedanjo Spacalovo umetniško prakso, bi je morda našli pri njegovem učitelju Semeghiniju. Pokrajine zgodnejšega obdobja so vide- ...tu se začenja Spacalova ti neposredno zrasle iz njegovih otroških spominov; te pokrajine pa je že ograjeval zid; prav zid, ta klasični velika igra potomca kraških nezamenljivi element kraških tal, pa bo ostajal v prihodnosti eden izmed vedno znova ponavljajočih se tem kamnosekov, ki mu je kraškega človeka v zelo različnih izvedbah, pa tudi raznovrstnih funkcijah. trodimenzionalnost sveta v krvi, V tem obdobju tako močno navzoče magije, je zid iztreznujoči element prostega poleta sanj; tu nam nehote pri- v roki, v očesu in ki mu zato haja v razmišljanje primerjava, ko je, v času Spacalove internacije v južni Italiji, zid celice omejeval umetniko- dvodimezionalna projekcija vo fizično svobodo, ga z nekaj koraki utesnjeval na primerljivi prostor, ko zdaj ta element, na svoj poseben pomeni dodatno magično način ograjuje kotičke zasvojenih tal, toda prav tu se začenja Spacalova velika igra potomca kraških kam- čarovnijo. nosekov, ki mu je trodimenzionalnost sveta v krvi, v roki, v očesu in ki mu zato dvodimezionalna projekcija pomeni dodatno magično čarovnijo.

Od tu dalje mu nobena omejitev več ne more preprečiti zavzemanje vse širšega prostora na razgrnjeni ploskvi, prav tu udejanja in ujame hkrati notranji in zunanji prostor, tokrat in onkraj, se vse bolj polašča tistega zunaj, zunaj za zidom, in tistega znotraj med zidovi. Vse to mu postaja vseobvladujoče, njegovo. Ta nova igra s pros- torom postaja vse bolj eminentna konstanta Spacalovega ustvarjanja.

6 Lojze Spacal Lojze Spacal v grafičnem ateljeju ❚ Lojze Spacal in his print studio

Svoj osvojeni novi prostor naseljuje s specifičnimi gosti; s tigrasto mačko kot zvedavo jetnico njegovih ukan, s ptiči kot simboli svobode, letečimi z razprtimi krili. Značilni zidovi se ožijo, pritiskajo pa zopet širijo, včasih postanejo plotovi ali pa omejujoči hribi v daljnem ozadju. Ta njegov umetniški repertoar pozna zidove, lope z majavimi stenami, luči na tankem, krhkem stojalu, umetno cvetje v porcelanasti vazi, sadje iz mašeja, luna kot lampijon …Vendarle je opazno, da vse to magično svetovje postaja manj in manj magično, vse stvarnejše. Sledimo prelomnemu obdobju, ko čez vse te magične podobe pade mreža vzporednic, navpičnic in štrlečih diagonal; bogastvo za to obdobje tako značilnega kolorita, se začne umikati pred resničnostjo, ki prinaša v Spacalov umetniški svet črnino in pa specifično rdečo - barvo krvi.

Vsakršno nasilje, tako v vojni kakor tudi v miru, je pustilo globoke sledove v Spacalu kot človeku in umetniku. Čeprav je kot Kraševec trd do sebe, svojega trpljenja, ki ga je preživljal, ne mara in noče dramatizirati. Kot umetnik pa z najglobljo prizadetostjo, ki izvira iz občutka solidarnosti nadosebnega, pa tudi nadnacionalnega bratstva, izpoveduje protest, krik odpora zoper takšno ravnanje in izpričuje globino svojega prepričanja, da je to najnižja stopnja razčlovečenja, ne žrtev, temveč njihovih rabljev. Ob takih primerih pa se kot umetnik odzove takoj. Sporočilo o prebujenem zverstvu v človeku, ob vnovičnem porušenju medčloveških odnosov, vprašan- ju življenja in smrti, svobode in nesvobode vzbudi njegovo reakcijo enako močno, enako neposredno, pa naj ga novica doleti v katerikoli fazi ustvarjanja.

Ti protesti vezani na vsakršne okrutnosti, so brezčasni in pri Spacalu ne poznajo ne kontinenta, pa tudi ne poli- tične opredelitve. Tako se je odzival v svoji najbližji okolici, pa tudi na dogodke v daljnem Čilu. Ves ta opus obvladuje z razmeroma skopimi sredstvi. V teh delih razgrinja širok razpon človeške zgroženosti, protesta in upanja. Izreden umetnikov občutek za vse te krivice je zdaj ponazorjen v skrajno poenostavljenih znakovnos- tih, ki se odrekajo vsakršni direktni opisnosti in s samo barvo, vertikalami, horizontalami izpoveduje obsod-

Življenjepis in bibliografija 7 bo, tisti gnev polnokrvne človečnosti in ostrega angažmaja, ki pa vendarle ne pozablja na zahtevo umetniškega izraza in zato ustvari nezamenljive variante likovnega protesta.

Sledil je cikel, posvečen mestu, urbanizmu, opustošenim periferijam, revnim četrtim, v katerih je, kot je sam izpovedal, podzavestno slutil bližajočo se potrošniško dobo.

Na eni strani ga presunja Značilna mesta v zrcalu so nastajala v času, ko se je gibal med svojim vsakdanjim Trstom in občasnim Piranom. urbanistična nesmotrnost in S prefinjenim občutkom za vse pojavnosti, ki jih je zaznaval ob vseh teh obiskih; mednje spadajo tudi edinstveni nehumanost stanovanjskih savudrijski viseči čolni in soline s svojimi vetrnicami; oddaljeval se je od prej omenjenega obdobja, lahko bi ga razmer in bližina golih zidov ali imenovali socialni realizem, in zaokroževal novo obdobje na svoji umetniški poti. Čeprav dokaj sklenjen opus pa grobi elementi sršastih ograj tega časovno omejenega razdobja, nosi v sebi tudi zaznave, ki jih je mogoče kategorizirati, zlasti v pogledu inter- ali atributov plinarniških kom- pretacije mest, kot dvojnost. Na eni strani ga presunja urbanistična nesmotrnost in nehumanost stanovanjskih pleksov, po drugi pa nesmiselno razmer in bližina golih zidov ali pa grobi elementi sršastih ograj ali atributov plinarniških kompleksov, po drugi razkošje izložb, ki budi pa nesmiselno razkošje izložb, ki budi nezajezljivo porabniško slo. To dvojnost je znal Spacal vizualizirati v neza- nezajezljivo porabniško slo. menljive podobe, ki tako mogočno zaznamujejo umetnikovo občutje do vsega, kar ga obdaja.

Kot pravi kraški potomec pa je takoj nato ves zagledan v avtentično kraško vas, njena dvorišča, mir, ki tamkaj vlada, ter smotrnost in urejenost njenega okolja. Ta prehod je še posebno zanimiv in zlahka ugotovimo, da je skoraj vse, kar je oblikovalo cikel mest, izrečeno s črto, medtem ko v kraški vasi prihaja v ospredje ploskev, vsaka vertikala pa je trdno zasidrana v tleh; ta premik vodi umetnika k ustvarjanju, ki do kraja oblikuje njego- vo osebnost, njegov rokopis, ki ga odkriva, poetizira notranja pokrajina, katere koncept je zarisovalo njegovo dotedanje življenje in izkušnje in ki se ji je izraz vse bolj izčiščeval, vzporedno, kot je z leti zorel umetnikov veli- ki talent.

Od takrat živi Lojze Spacal to vizijo s svojo celovito osebnostjo in jo dograjuje z vsemi danostmi kraških tal, njene arhitekture in seveda njenega človeka. Likovna govorica, s katero obvladuje vse to, kar ga obdaja, jezik Spacalove umetnosti se vsa ta leta vrača k domači besedi v prenesenem pomenu, vse njegove stvaritve posta- jajo vse bolj preproste in monumentalne. Ta poenostavljenost, ki zna seči skoraj do absolutnega, zasleduje dva cilja: je preizkus umetnika, kako daleč si lahko privošči odrekanje, krčenje, ne da bi izgubil jedro tistega, kar se je namenil podati.

In je preverjanje čutnega vtisa, ki je pri Spacalu, tudi v njegovi najbolj konceptualni fazi, vendarle pobudnik prevajanja v samosvoj likovni jezik, ki se namenoma odreka posnemanju zunanje pojavnosti. Tako gradi pokra- jino svojega notranjega videnja sicer na podlagi elementov, ki jih ponuja Kras, vendar preoblikovanih in Če bi hoteli na hitro dojeti poenostavljenih v tisto bistvo, ko jih umetnik lahko porabi za elemente svoje podobe, ki sicer nosi pomen- fenomen Spacalove umetnosti, skost, se pa nikakor noče vezati na kakršnokoli posnemanje nature. Notranji svet umetnikove prakse, Kras nje- njegovo avro, ki tako sugestivno gove duše, je tisto, kar podaja Spacal v skladu s svojim konceptom, zlagajoč oblike in barve, pri čemer gradi obvladuje, ne samo mejno slikovno polje, da je v temelju videti kot nekakšen načrt, dvodimenzionalna projekcija tridimenzionalne področje slovensko-italijanske resničnosti, gledane z daljne višine, ki v resnici obstaja samo v umetnikovem videnju. likovne scene, bi bilo najbolje sprehoditi se skozi njegovo Če bi hoteli na hitro dojeti fenomen Spacalove umetnosti, njegovo avro, ki tako sugestivno obvladuje, ne samo zbirko - fundacijo v Štanjelu. mejno področje slovensko-italijanske likovne scene, bi bilo najbolje sprehoditi se skozi njegovo zbirko - fun- dacijo v Štanjelu. Tako kot je Štanjel po svoji legi in naseljenosti sinonim Krasa, je Lojze Spacal sinonim umet- nika, zraslega s kraških tal, poseben tip umetnika, globoko zasidranega v svoji matični slovenski zemlji, živo dejavnega v rodnem Trstu, široko odprtega v svet. Tudi današnji dan nam kraška burja prinaša sporočila o trdni povezanosti vseh ljudi na tleh, na katere nas je postavila zgodovina: izpolniti njen ukaz in ustvariti boljši svet medsebojnega spoznavanja in aktivnega sožitja. To vizijo je živel Lojze Spacal s celovito osebnostjo in umet- niško občutljivostjo ter jo soustvarjal s svojimi deli. Je nezamenljiv glasnik, likovno poetični interpret tega, zgodovinsko tako bogato umetniško obdarjenega, evropskega predela in ključni soustvarjalec njegovega današnjega likovnega jezika.

8 Lojze Spacal Metka Gombač Spacalovo družbeno in politično angažiranje po drugi svetovni vojni

Lojze Spacal je s svojim delom, osebnostjo in življenjem globoko zaznamoval ne le sodobne zgodovine primorskih Slovencev, ampak se je zaradi svoje umetnosti povsem upravičeno uvrstil v Propileje spomina ce- lega naroda. S svojimi domačimi in mednarodnimi uspehi je promoviral sebe, svoj narod in svoj rojstni kraj in si zato povsem zasluženo pridobil vse spoštovanje in večen spomin. Še več, univerzalna govorica slikarstva mu je omogočila, da je postal ambasador vseh prebivalcev severno jadranskega prostora in v eni osebi združil kul- turne, zgodovinske in civilizacijske lastnosti vseh, ki so in še naseljujejo ozemlje od Soče do Istre. Iz Accetture na jugu Italije se je Kot večini tamkajšnjega prebivalstva ni zgodovina prizanesla niti temu velikemu tržaškemu Slovencu, ki se je Spacal vrnil kot umetnik, saj je tako kot drugi, znašel v cikličnih zgodovinskih vrtincih tega pomembnega geostrateškega križišča. tam spoznal predvsem svojo Imperialistična obravnava tega prostora je prinesla dve svetovni vojni, kar je povzročilo veliko gorja predvsem umetniško strast. Od svojega civilnemu prebivalstvu. Potem, ko se je Spacal kot deček v uničeni Kostanjevici, rojstnem kraju svojega očeta, prvega amaterskega javnega takoj po prvi vojni prvič soočil z grozo vojnega uničenja, se je leta 1920 ob požigu tržaškega Narodnega doma, dejanja dalje, ga je slikarstvo kot vsi primorski Slovenci, soočil še z italijanskim fašizmom, ki je dosledno raznarodoval avtohtono slovensko spremljalo vse življenje. prebivalstvo. Druženje Spacala in cele generacije mladih Tržačanov ob slovenski pesmi na kraški gmajni ni imelo nekih prevratnih namenov. Čeprav so nekatere med njimi zaradi podtaknjene bombe ustrelili v Bazovici (Ferdo Bidovec, Zvonimir Miloš, Franc Marušič, Alojz Valenčič) je imelo to spontano druženje le en namen, in sicer ohraniti svoj jezik, svojo kulturo in svojo identiteto. Vse to so fašisti leta 1929 izkoristili za masovne aretacije in sodne pogrome proti Slovencem. Tudi Spacal si je prislužil prvo aretacijo in izgnanstvo (konfi- nacija) na jug Italije, kar ga je tako kot druge antifašiste za vedno zaznamovalo. Iz Accetture na jugu Italije se je Spacal vrnil kot umetnik, saj je tam spoznal predvsem svojo umetniško strast. Od svojega prvega amaterskega javnega dejanja dalje, ga je slikarstvo spremljalo vse življenje. Tudi, ko se je kasneje iz slikarskega šolanja v italijanskih mestih vračal v domači Trst, mu tajna policija ni prizanašala. Njegov optimistični značaj mu je pomagal preživeti fašistično izživljanje, a podobe tega trpljenja so se kasneje večkrat prikradle v motiviko njegovega ustvarjanja in vso to svojo človeško prizadetost nad preživetim gorjem je tematsko zaokrožil v svo- jih sočasnih ali kasnejših delih.

Tudi druga svetovna vojna mu ni prizanesla. Streljanje Pinka Tomažiča in tovarišev na openski gmajni leta 1941, požig Branika, Komna in drugih kraških vasi februarja 1944, 72 postreljenih talcev na Opčinah leta 1944, 52 obešenih talcev na pročelju glasbene šole v ulici Ghega v Trstu leta 1944, delovanje koncen- tracijskega taborišča Rižarna pri sveti Soboti v Trstu, interniranje zapornikov v nemška taborišča in nacifašis- tično znašanje nad civilnim prebivalstvom so ga za zmeraj zaznamovali. Lastno gorje je prenašal s trdo voljo, gorje slehernika pa ni nikdar sprejel. Ob tej krvavi rihti, ki je zajela sorodnike, prijatelje ali znance iz mladin- skih društev, in v kateri je bila udeležena skoraj vsaka tržaška družina, tudi Spacal ni mogel mirovati. Čeprav so ga vidno kontrolirali in mu sledili, se je po svojih najboljših močeh skušal pridružiti odporu, ki so ga vodili iz slovenske mizarske delavnice v Trstu. Ker so bili na ta obrat pozorni tako Gestapo, kot italijanska politična policija, ga je to skoraj stalo zapora v taborišču Rižarna. Temu se je izognil le zaradi pomoči vidnega tržaškega veljaka, ki je cenil njegovo umetnost.

Iz teh krutih vojnih let je Spacal izšel kot angažiran ustvarjalec, kot aktivist za mir in sožitje med tam živečimi narodi. Potem, ko je bil maja 1945 premagan nacifašizem, je zmagoviti opciji ponudil svojo pomoč na področju, kjer je bil najboljši. Prizadevanjem Slovencev po nacionalni združitvi v eni državi, ki je bila v Trstu prisotna že od leta 1848 dalje, je ponudil svoj čopič in svoj fotografski aparat, da bi z drugimi strokovnjaki

Življenjepis in bibliografija 9 Kontoveljski ribiči, 1946 ❚ Fishermen at Contovello, 1946

spregovoril o slovenski avtohtonosti v prostoru, ki je postal predmet mirovnih pogajanj med velesilami in Jugoslavijo na zmagoviti strani, ter Italijo na strani poražencev. Po osvoboditvi se je tako povsem naravno Po osvoboditvi se je tako pridružil tistim, ki so zagovarjali združitev vseh Slovencev v enotni državi. Z drugimi primorskimi aktivisti se povsem naravno pridružil je lotil slikanja, fotografiranja in dokumentiranja slovenskih spomenikov in korenin narodne prisotnosti na tem tistim, ki so zagovarjali teritoriju. Vse, kar so ti zanesenjaki počenjali v mesecih do pariške mirovne pogodbe, je ohranjeno v združitev vseh Slovencev v premnogih fasciklih, ki jih hrani Arhiv Republike Slovenije. enotni državi. Z drugimi Vprašanje bodočih slovenskih meja je zaposlovalo Slovence vse vojno obdobje in za ta vprašanja je na relaciji primorskimi aktivisti se je lotil Ljubljana, Zagreb, Beograd vedno vladalo izredno zanimanje. Prav zaradi tega so po kapitulaciji Italije v slikanja, fotografiranja in Sloveniji prej (16. 9. 1943) in v Jajcu kasneje (29. 11. 1943), razglasili priključitev Slovenskega primorja k dokumentiranja slovenskih Sloveniji. Ker so se vsi zavedali, da je bilo treba ta proglas še izbojevati v mednarodni areni ob koncu vojne, spomenikov in korenin je najvišji takratni politični organ Slovenski narodnoosvobodilni svet, januarja 1944 v Kočevskem Rogu narodne prisotnosti ustanovil Znanstveni inštitut, kjer so različni strokovnjaki zbirali gradivo o mejah. Zgodovinarji, geografi, na tem teritoriju. pravniki, zdravniki, glasbeniki, slikarji, inženirji in drugi intelektualci, so, vsak po svojih sposobnostih, sode- lovali pri pripravah na neizbežni diplomatski spor, ki se je nakazoval ob koncu vojne. Z osvoboditvijo Slovenskega primorja in Trsta, torej z osvoboditvijo povsem slovenskega zaledja in narodnostno mešanih mest Trsta, Gorice, Tržiča, Kopra, Izole in Pirana, še ni bila izrečena zadnja beseda o povojni pripadnosti tega pros- tora in je negotovost glede pripadnosti eni ali drugi državi trajala še desetletje.

Maja 1945, ko se je Znanstveni inštitut preselil v Ljubljano, sta se mu pri delu pridružila še tržaška in goriška podružnica. Zavest, da se napeto stanje ni umirilo in da je bila fronta med Italijo in Jugoslavijo še vedno živa, je udeležence v znanstvenem procesu združevala in silila k sodelovanju, saj so morali strokovno prepričati med- narodne eksperte in diplomacijo, da je bila meja sklenjena v Rapallu leta 1920 krivična, in da ni slonela na narodnih, ampak na političnih argumentih.1

10 Lojze Spacal V ta namen je Znanstveni inštitut v Ljubljani v sodelovanju z beograjskim Inštitutom za proučevanje medna- rodnih vprašanj pri Ministrstvu za zunanje zadeve in z Jadranskim inštitutom na Sušaku, pripravil vrsto študij o narodnostni in etnografski sliki Slovenskega primorja in Istre do leta 1918, vrsto razprav o italijanski raz- narodovalni politiki od Soče do Snežnika in od Reke do Lastova v letih 1918 - 1941, vrsto podatkov o itali- janski agresiji na Jugoslavijo leta 1941 in o vojnih zločinih v anektiranih Ljubljanski in Reški pokrajini za čas od leta 1941 - 1943 in vrsto podatkov o italijanskem sodelovanju z Nemci v nečloveških represalijah v Istri in Slovenskem primorju. Tako politikom, kot prebivalstvu, je po koncu vojne postajalo jasno, da pri določanju nove meje ne bodo odločala dejstva kot na primer, da je Pokrajinski narodnoosvobodilni odbor za Slovensko primorje (dalje Pokrajinski NOO) od septembra 1944, razen velikih mest, povsem obvladal Slovensko pri- morje, in da so 1. maja 1945 enote Jugoslovanske armade porazile nemško - italijanske čete in osvobodile celot- no ozemlje Julijske krajine. Še več, nekatere odločitve zahodnih zaveznikov, kot junijski izgon Jugoslovanskih čet iz Trsta, Gorice in Tržiča ter vzpostavitev dveh vzporednih uprav, Zavezniške vojaške uprave za cono A in Vojaške uprave jugoslovanske armade za cono B nekdanje Julijske krajine, so nakazovale, da bodo zahodni zavezniki na mirovni konferenci favorizirali italijanske interese proti slovenskim prizadevanjem po priključitvi Resolucija za priključitev slovenskega primorja k Jugoslaviji ❚ Resolution on Annexing the Slovene 2 Slovenskega primorja in Trsta. Ta prizadevanja je v Slovenskem primorju predstavljal prav Pokrajinski NOO. Littoral to Yugoslavia, 1946 Bil je najvišji tamkajšnji upravni organ in obenem politični nosilec novega sistema, ki je temeljil na ljudski oblasti in na socialistični ideologiji. Mesec dni po osvoboditvi je Pokrajinski NOO, tudi z začasnim dovoljen- jem zahodnih zaveznikov, zavladal od Postojne do Trsta in od Bovca do izliva Soče in tako najresneje najavil svojo prisotnost v Tržaškem zalivu. S seboj je prinesel marsikaj novega in koristnega, tako na področju gospo- darstva, kot na področju sociale, zdravstva, kulture in šolstva, pa čeprav je veliko načrtov, zaradi kratkega obdobja, ostalo le v zametkih in načrtih. Vse te spremembe in reformno delovanje Pokrajinskega NOO, nje- govih odsekov, oddelkov in komisij, je ob delovanju drugih oblastnih organov, globoko poseglo v tamkajšnjo ustaljeno administracijo. Ukrepi, odredbe in sprejeti zakoni so izvirali iz reformnega duha neke nove družbe. Po mnenju reformatorjev so prav te napake pripeljale do grozot druge svetovne vojne in zato je bilo povsem razumljivo, da so ljudje te reformne poskuse sprejemali z dokajšnjim razumevanjem. Zaradi spleta okoliščin je Pokrajinski NOO v svoji polni oblastni funkciji deloval le za čas od 1. 5. 1945 do 12. 6. 1945, nato pa je po podpisu beograjskega sporazuma (9. 6. 1945) izgubil oblastveno funkcijo in postal le posvetovalni organ, ki je vse svoje delo usmeril v boj za priključitev Slovenskega primorja in Trsta k Jugoslaviji.3

V vodstvu Pokrajinskega NOO so razumeli, da se bo trda diplomatska preizkušnja pisala na hrbtih šibkejših in da bosta na tržišču mednarodnega dokazovanja veljala več znanje in strokovno dokazovanje, kot pa ljudski aktivizem. Prav zato je Pokrajinski NOO sredi poletja 1945 sprejel sklep o ustanovitvi svojega Študijskega odse- ka. Nalogo so poverili Dušanu Rybařu, Borisu Zajcu, Romanu Pahorju in Angelu Kukanji. V sodelovanju z Oddelkom za mejna vprašanja iz Ljubljane, ki ga je vodil Lojze Ude in Inštitutom za proučevanje mednarod- nih vprašanj iz Beograda, ki ga je vodil Fran Zwitter, se je Odsek s svojimi strokovnjaki in sodelavci angažiral pri pripravi elaboratov, brošur, knjig in drugega materiala, ki je nastajal v letih 1945 in 1946 kot dokazno gradi- vo o upravičenosti zahtev po združitvi Slovenskega primorja z matico. Ob zbiranju najraznovrstnejših podatkov in propagandnem delu, je bila ena prvih zelo pomembnih akcij Študijskega odseka zbiranje podpisov za priključitev Slovenskega primorja, ki je potekala konec avgusta 1945. Strokovno bi to podpisovalno akcijo uvrstili v kategorijo plebiscitarnega izjavljanja, ki naj bi s svojo številčnostjo dokazovala odločitev prebivalstva glede pripadnosti teh krajev. Zbiranje podpisov v celotnem Slovenskem primorju in Trstu je potekalo hitro, saj so organizatorji v šestih dneh zbrali okoli 220.000 podpisov. Na zasedanju Sveta zunanjih ministrov v Londonu jeseni 1945, so jugoslovanski delegati na ta način zbrane podpise predstavili kot enega izmed doka- zov plebiscitarne odločitve prebivalstva Julijske krajine. Na zasedanju v Londonu je bil eden od sklepov tudi ta, da se imenuje mednarodna razmejitvena komisija izvedencev, ki bo na primorskem terenu proučevala dejan- sko stanje, zbrala podatke o slovenskem, hrvaškem in italijanskem prebivalstvu in pripravila predlog za določitev meje med obema državama. Dogovorjena so bila tudi osnovna izhodišča, češ, da se mora meja v glavnem pokrivati z etnično mejo. Lahko rečemo, da je od oktobra 1945 do junija 1946 sledilo obdobje izred- no intenzivnega dela tako v Trstu, kot v Ljubljani in v Beogradu. Vsi so se pripravljali na prihod mednarodne razmejitvene komisije, ki je v Trst prispela v začetku marca 1946.

Življenjepis in bibliografija 11 Oktobra 1945 je v ta namen stekla tudi akcija slikanja naravnih in krajevnih lepot na Tržaškem in Goriškem. Po nalogu Tiskovnega urada, ki je deloval pri Narodni vladi Slovenije, sta pričela akademski slikar Lojze Spacal in fotograf Marijan Pfaifer pripravljati fotografske posnetke naravnih in krajevnih lepot na tržaškem in goriškem ter folklornih znamenitosti v mejah cone A Julijske krajine. Kot lahko sledimo po dokumentih študijskega odse- ka za Goriško, so se na pot po Goriških Brdih in po drugih krajih po Goriškem4 odpravili 19. in 20. oktobra 1945 akademski slikar Lojze Spacal kot mentor, fotoreporter Marijan Pfaifer in Ludvik Zorzut, dober poz- navalec krajev in ljudi po Goriškem. Pot jih je vodila čez Brda in Vrhovlje v dolino Soče, čez Kanal, Čiginj, Volče, Kobarid, Bovec in naprej do Trente, nazaj do Plav, do Sv. Gore mimo Solkana in Gorice. Poudarek je bil namenjen predvsem folklornim in etnografskim znamenitostim, ki so bila značilna za Slovence. Objektiv se je ustavljal na hišah, vodnjakih, posameznih predmetih, na posameznikih, pa na posnetkih planinskega sveta, Gregorčičevega raja na Kobariškem, na Bovškem, vse do Trente in do najvišjih planinskih vrhov. Prav tako so pripravili posnetke za Kras, Istro in vipavsko področje. Zbrane posnetke so predali tudi Tiskovnemu uradu v Ljubljano, da so bili na razpolago tako oddelkoma v Trstu in Gorici kot Oddelku za mejna vprašanja v Ljubljani. Vse zbrane posnetke so s pridom uporabili tudi pri pripravi različnih knjig, brošur in elaboratov, ki so bili v glavnem zgodovinsko dokumentarnega značaja, namenjeni pa so bili izvedencem za meje in pa seve- da pripravljeni za razmejitvena pogajanja v Parizu.

V čas priprav na prihod mednarodne razmejitvene komisije izvedencev sodi tudi načrtovanje in priprava dveh razstav. Prva naj bi prikazala dosežke narodnoosvobodilne borbe v Julijski krajini in Trstu, druga razstava pa je obravnavala tematiko etnologije, geografije, zgodovine in gospodarstva. Razstavljeno gradivo so sestavljali predmeti in fotografije, ki so dokazovali razsežnost slovenske naseljenosti vse od začetkov slovenske prisotnosti na tem prostoru.5 Zbirali so vse, kar je dokazovalo slovenski izvor in sorodnost z ostalimi Slovenci onkraj bivše rapalske meje, ter dokumentacijo, ki je dokazovala zavest o skupnem izvoru. Seveda je tudi pri priprav- ljanju teh razstav potekalo intenzivno sodelovanje med Trstom, Gorico in Ljubljano. Iz kratkega zapisa Študij- skega odseka, ki so ga poslali Tiskovnemu uradu v Ljubljano izvemo, da je Lojze Spacal tri posnetke o Barkovljah prinesel v izdelavo Pfeiferju konec januarja 1946 v Ljubljano in da so bili namenjeni za zgodovin- sko etnografsko razstavo.6

Urednik Primorskega dnevnika Stanislav Renko je nato odbral gradivo za razstavo, ki bi naj predstavila pri- morsko-istrski narodnoosvobodilni boj in ga odnesel v Beograd, kjer so gradivo vključili v razstavo o boju jugoslovanskih narodov, ki je bila v Parizu med 19. 6. in 15. 7. 1946. Razstava je bila v gledališču "Les Ambassadeurs", spremljala jo je brošura, ki je vsebovala številne motive iz Slovenskega primorja. V Oddelku II Arhiva Republike Slovenije pa se hrani plakat, ki je spremljal razstavo.7

Plakat za pariško razstavo Boj jugoslovanskih Najpomembnejši prispevek tržaškega Študijskega odseka pa je bilo brez dvoma sodelovanje pri oblikovanju narodov za osvoboditev (plakat je oblikoval Spomenice Pokrajinskega NOO s katero so želeli prepričati mednarodno javnost, da spada Slovensko primorje Milivoj Uzelac) ❚ Poster for the Paris exhibition "Yugoslav Peoples' Liberation Struggle", k matični Sloveniji. V Spomenici so zbrani zgodovinski in etnografski podatki, fotografije, zemljevidi in drugo 1946 (poster designed by Milivoj Uzelac) gradivo velike vrednosti, ki naj bi bilo osnova za to, da bi tudi drugje razumeli, da je slovenski narod zgodovin- ski narod. "To Spomenico je izročil Pokrajinski NOO za Slovensko primorje in Trst medzavezniški razmejitveni komisiji" piše v slovenskem, hrvaškem in italijanskem jeziku na prvi strani Spomenice, ki jo je delegacija Pokrajinskega NOO s Francetom Bevkom na čelu, marca 1946 izročila članom mednarodne razmejitvene komisi- je v Trstu. Celotna serija je bila sestavljena iz treh delov: v prvem delu Spomenice je bil objavljen zemljevid Julijske krajine, z etnografskim in ekonomskim delom, v drugem delu je bila predstavljena borba prebivalcev Julijske krajine za svobodo in pravico do samoodločbe, v tretjem pa so v Spomenici spregovorili o pokrajini in tamkajšnjih ljudeh. Celotno publikacijo je spremljalo 93 slikovnih predlog in risb. Vsi deli so bili sestavljeni iz posameznih listov, ki so bili vloženi v zaprte mape iz trdih platnic. Iz tega obširnega gradiva pa so naredili še izbor za Spomenico, ki jo je delegacija izročila razmejitveni komisiji. Spomenica je bila pripravljena tudi v angleškem, francoskem in ruskem jeziku in so jo predložili Svetu zunanjih ministrov maja 1946 v Parizu.8

Ko je razmejitvena komisija končala z delom na terenu in odpotovala ter se lotila priprave poročila za zasedan- je Sveta zunanjih ministrov v Parizu, (25. 4. - 16. 5. 1946) so se pri Pokrajinskem NOO odločili, da pošljejo v Pariz še delegacijo primorskih Slovencev, ki bo opremljena z najraznovrstnejšim gradivom skušala prepričati francosko in svetovno javnost, da naseljujejo ta prostor ob Italijanih tudi Slovenci in Hrvati. Delegacija je odpo-

12 Lojze Spacal tovala v Pariz konec aprila 1946. Sestavljali so jo predstavniki Slovencev, Hrvatov iz Istre in Italijanov, vodil pa jo je pisatelj France Bevk, predsednik Pokrajinskega NOO. Vsi so bili izredno aktivni pri navezovanju oseb- nih stikov, pri organiziranju tiskovnih konferenc in pri promociji svojih stališč. Delili so brošure in elaborate, ki so bili natisnjeni v raznih jezikih, izdajali bilten v katerem so poročali o razmerah v Julijski krajini, razlagali ter dokazovali so svoja stališča do vseh aktualnih vprašanj, ki so se nanašala na Slovence in Hrvate na tem ozemlju. Kompromisni francoski predlog je puščal še nekaj upanja glede Gorice, Goriških Brd in Tržiča in prav zato je glavni ekspert za zgodovino na pogajanjih v Parizu dr. Fran Zwitter julija 1946 zaprosil goriški Študijs- ki odsek naj pripravi podatke in zemljevide za mesto Gorica in za Goriška Brda.9

V obdobju največje aktivnosti študijskega odseka v Trstu, to je ob prihodu in bivanju mednarodne razmejitvene komisije izvedencev, je bilo pri Študijskem odseku zaposlenih 14 ljudi. V tem času so ob nazivu Študijski odsek, Spomenik bazoviških žrtev, 1945 ❚ Memorial to the uporabljali tudi naziv Inštitut za proučevanje Julijske krajine v Trstu. Iz tega časa je ohranjen dopis z datumom Bazovica Victims, 1945 18. 5. 1946, ki nam pove, da je bil Lojze Spacal razrešen službe pri Prosvetni komisiji in nameščen pri Inštitutu za proučevanje Julijske krajine, kot referent zgodovinsko-etnografskega oddelka.10 Decembra 1946, pa je bil Lojze Spacal z odlokom Predsedstva Pokrajinskega NOO za Slovensko primorje in Trst imenovan za predsed- nika Komisije za postavljanje narodnih spomenikov.11

Konec meseca maja 1946, ko sta se delo in pozornost preusmerili v Pariz, se je delo Študijskega odseka bistveno zmanjšalo in se do konca leta 1946 tudi zaključilo. Končalo se je neko obdobje, ki je bilo izredno tako za slovensko znanost in kulturo kot za takratno slovensko politiko. Po dramatičnih dogodkih leta 1945 in 1946, so 10. 2. 1947 podpisali pariško mirovno pogodbo. Del Primorske je bil priključen k Italiji (Kanalska dolina, Beneška Slovenija, Rezija, Gorica in del Goriških Brd), del je pripadel Jugoslaviji, del pa novous- tanovljenemu Svobodnemu tržaškemu ozemlju.

Opombe: 1 Znanstveni inštitut pri predsedstvu SNOS je bil ustanovljen 12.1.1944, deloval je v Rogu, predsednik je bil dr. Fran Zwitter, več o tem France Škerl, Znanstveni inštitut, Zgodovinski časopis, Ljubljana, l. XIX-XX, 1965-66, str. 31-61. 2 O Pokrajinskem NOO je pisala Metka Gombač v knjigi Pokrajinski NOO za Slovensko primorje in Trst 1944-1947, Ljubljana 2003. 3 Dne 9. 6. 1945 je bil podpisan beograjski sporazum med jugoslovansko vlado in vladami velesil, ki je Julijsko krajino razdelil v dve okupacijski coni. Cono A, ki je imela sedež v Trstu, je prevzela upravo Zavezniška vojaška uprava, cono B, s sedežem v Ajdovščini, pa je prevzela Vojaška uprava jugoslovanske armade. 4 AS 1816 Okrožni NOO za Goriško okrožje, šk. 10. 5 Mednarodna razmejitvena komisija je bila imenovana septembra 1945, na zasedanju Sveta zunanjih ministrov v Londonu. Izvedenci naj bi si na terenu ogledali stanje in nato določili mejo. Od 7. 3. do 5. 4. 1946 so si člani komisije ogledali kraje v obeh conah Julijske krajine in nato pripravili razmejitvene predloge. 6 AS 1818 Pokrajinski NOO za Slovensko primorje in Trst, šk. 56. 7 Metka Gombač, Razstava v Parizu, Glasnik ZRS Koper, št. 3, Pariška mirovna pogodba, Koper 1997. 8 Vlasta Beltram, Spomenici, Glasnik ZRS Koper, št. 3, Pariška mirovna pogodba, Koper 1997. 9 AS 1818 Pokrajinski NOO za Slovensko primirje in Trst, šk. 13/II in šk. 1/IV. 10 AS 1818 Pokrajinski NOO za Slovensko primorje in Trst, šk. 56. 11 AS 1818 Pokrajinski NOO za Slovensko primorje in Trst, šk. 10.

Življenjepis in bibliografija 13

Življenjepis Lara Štrumej Življenjepis

1907 Lojze Spacal se je kot prvi od treh otrok rodil 15. junija 1907 v Trstu, v podstrešni sobici hiše št. 20 v takrat imenitni ulici Rossetti, materi Mariji, rojeni Novak, iz Kostanjevice na Krasu in očetu Andreju prav tako iz Kostanjevice. Mati je bila perica, oče pa kamnosek, ki je sprva delal v nabrežinskih kamnolomih, ko pa je delo izgubil, se je v Trstu zaposlil kot zidar.

Mali Lojze z materjo in očetom, 1908 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Little Lojze with his mother and father, 1908 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum 1910 of Modern Art, Ljubljana) Rodila se je sestra Dragica. Mali Lojze je največ srečnih dni preživel pri starih starših v Kostanjevici, kjer so se mu v nepozaben spomin vtisnile številne živobarvne podobe svetnikov na steklu, dela raznih podeželskih samoukov, ki so jih pobožni predniki in babica prinesli z raznih romanj. Z visoke postelje jih je opazoval na belih stenah babičine sobe, kjer so visele druga poleg druge in se v modrih, rdečih in rumenih barvah bleščale v svetlobi, ki je prihajala skozi priprta polkna.

1912 Rodila se je sestra Ana.

1914 Po izbruhu vojne je bil oče vpoklican k vojakom; kmalu zatem je umrl za tifusom. Že prej trdo življenje Spacalovih je po očetovi smrti postalo še težje. Mati se je z otroki preselila iz podstrešnega stanovanja v ulici Rossetti v predmestje Trsta, v majhno hišo na Lloydovi ulici, ki se sedaj imenuje Campi Elisi. Kmalu za očetom je umrla še sestra Ana. Lojze je na materino željo obiskoval slovensko osnovno šolo Cirila-Metoda pri Sv. Jakobu v Trstu, na katero pa ni imel lepih spominov, kljub temu da je bila lepa in nova, saj ni mogel pozabiti grenke izkušnje z učitelji, ki so ga pogosto tepli. Sam bi raje obiskoval italijansko šolo, kjer so se šolali njegovi prijatelji.

1918 Mati je sama težko preživljala družino, zato se je Lojze odločil, da bo pustil šolo in s priložnostnimi deli raje poma- gal družini do znosnejšega življenja. S skromnim zaslužkom od raznih del, ki jih je našel pri pleskarjih, v gostilnah, trgovini, ladjedelnici in pri peku, je prispeval k lažjemu življenju članov družine, na kar je bil zelo ponosen. Posebno všeč mu je bilo delo pri peku; tam je imel na voljo oslička, s katerim je tovoril in razdeljeval kruh. S sovrstniki iz enako revnih družin je kradel premog z vlakov in ga prodajal, vse dokler eden iz druščine ni v nes- reči izgubil obeh nog. Kot vajenec v ladjedelnici je s sodelavci razpravljal o socialnih krivicah in narodnostnem zatiranju, obiskoval socialistični krožek pri Sv. Jakobu in utrdil svoje protifašistično prepričanje ter se povezal s somišljeniki v protifašističnemu delovanju.

16 Lojze Spacal 1923-25 Bil je soustanovitelj in predsednik mladinskega društva Zarja v Rojanu ter član in ustanovni član raznih drugih slovenskih mladinskih društev v Tomaju, Pliskovici in drugih vaseh. Prirejali so srečanja, krajše gledališke pred- stave in izlete v gore, na katerih so peli in se pogovarjali v materinščini. Zaradi protifašistične zavzetosti za sloven- stvo si je nakopal preganjanje fašistov, ki sta mu sledila zapor in izgnanstvo.

1925-27 Fašisti so vsa mladinska društva ukinili, a delovanja mladincev niso mogli zatreti. Spacal se je pridružil najbolj upornim, Ferdu Bidovcu, Zvonimirju Milošu, Alojzu Valenčiču in Franju Marušiču.

1929 Ko so fašisti prijeli Bidovca, Miloša, Valenčiča in Marušiča, se je Spacal želel izogniti aretaciji in je načrtoval pobeg v Švico. Najprej se je zatekel k stricu Antonu, ki je bil kot železničar premeščen v Lombardijo blizu švicarske meje. A ker mu je bila policija za petami, je skušal pobegniti v Švico, vendar so ga prijeli na meji in ga poslali v zloglasni zapor Regina Coeli v Rim. V samici je prebil dva meseca v čakanju na sodni proces. Umetnik je pogosto poudar- jal, da je v zaporu začel premišljevati o slikarstvu. Iz Rima je bil skupaj z drugimi ujetniki prepeljan v Trst, kjer so ga za nekaj mesecev znova zaprli. Nato ga je tržaška kvestura kljub pomanjkanju dokazov 12. junija 1930 izgnala v južno Italijo, v vas Accettura v pokrajini Basilicata.

1930-32 Da se je v izgnanstvu lahko preživljal, obenem pa denarno pomagal še materi in sestri, se je lotil različnih del; med drugim se je oprijel tudi fotografije. Domače je prosil, naj mu pošljejo stari fotografski aparat Leica, ki mu ga je podaril stric Anton, nakar se je uspešno lotil dela. Fotografiral je poroke, obhajila, birme, pogrebe, razne običa- je in praznike ter portretiral domačine; tako si je hitro pridobil njihovo zaupanje. Svojo najemniško sobico je spre- menil v temnico. A kot izgnanec je dovoljenje za fotografiranje kmalu izgubil; delo je bil prisiljen prepustiti neke- V izgnanstvu v Accetturi, okoli 1932 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Exiled to Accettura, mu domačinu. Razočaran je našel novo možnost za delo in zaslužek v bližnji mizarski delavnici, kjer je poslikaval around 1932 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of modern Art, krste. Ker je v deželi razsajala malarija, so imeli mizarji polne roke dela z izdelovanjem krst, od katerih so bile Ljubljana) mnoge namenjene otrokom. Tako je Spacal kot pomočnik v mizarski delavnici nekoč iz sočutja do pokojne šti- riletne deklice in njenih siromašnih staršev, obenem pa nemara tudi zaradi spomina na svojo ravno tako zgodaj umrlo sestro, okrasil krsto za malo deklico, čeprav sta njena starša zmogla plačati le najbolj preprost mizarski izdelek. Z metulji in cvetlicami okrašena krsta je postala predmet vsesplošnega občudovanja. Sčasoma si je s krašenjem krst, ki jih je menjal za olje in pšenico, pridobil spoštovanje celo pri občinskih možeh. A bolj kot ugled med vaščani je bilo za mladega Spacala pomembno spoznanje o njegovi poklicanosti za slikarstvo, ki se je porodi- lo med tem delom, zato je čas v izgnanstvu izkoristil za študij in pripravo na maturo na umetnostnem liceju v Benetkah.

17. septembra je bil izpuščen iz izgnanstva; po dolgotrajni vožnji se je v rodni Trst vrnil oktobra.

Življenjepis in bibliografija 17 Spacal kot profesor na neki šoli v Rojanu, okoli 1936 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Spacal as a teacher at a school in Roiano, around 1936 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

V času študija v Monzi, okoli 1937 (Foto: Mioni; Trieste, artist's archive) ❚ In the time of study in Monza, around 1937 (Photo: Mioni; Trieste, artist's archive)

1936 Spričevalo umetnostnega liceja v Benetkah, kjer je opravil privatno maturo, nosi datum 23. oktober 1936; kmalu zatem je v Rimu opravil še habilitacijski izpit za risanje.

Občasno je poučeval v Trstu na raznih srednjih strokovnih šolah in na učiteljišču. Šlo je za nadomeščanje; redno ni mogel poučevati zaradi svoje "sumljive" politične preteklosti, in ker ni bil član fašistične stranke. Nad vlogo učitelja pa ni bil najbolj navdušen, saj je bil prepričan, da se mora umetnik povsem posvetiti svojemu poslanstvu.

Prijateljeval je z Pinom Tomažičem in njegovo sestro Dani, ki ju je - kot izvemo iz romana Fulvia Tomizza Mladoporočenca iz ulice Rossetti - pogosto spremljal na kolesarskih izletih; žal le do 2. junija 1940, ko je polici- ja Pina aretirala, posebno sodišče pa ga je decembra 1941 obsodilo na smrt.

Vpisal se je na umetniški inštitut za dekorativno umetnost v Monzi (Istituto Superiore Artistico per l'Arte Decorativa di Monza). Njegovi profesorji so bili Semeghini, De Grada, Pica, arhitekt Pagano oziroma Pogačnik, po rodu iz Poreča, in drugi, ki so študente vzgajali v duhu izrazito modernih estetskih teženj. Med študijem si je denarno pomagal z raznimi deli, nadomeščanjem profesorjev v šolah, občasnim fotografiranjem in še s čim. Za šolanje v Monzi se je odločil z upanjem na delo v tržaški ladjedelnici, kjer so za opremo čezoceanskih ladij potre- bovali dekoraterje. Tako je kmalu začel sodelovati z znanim tržaškim opremljevalcem ladij Gustavom Pulitzerjem, s katerim je pred tem sodeloval tudi Avgust Černigoj. Zasebno je študiral tudi na akademiji Brera v Milanu. Tu je zahajal v krog milanskega gibanja Corrente, ki mu je pripadal velik del lombardskih slikarjev. Med njimi so nanj najbolj vplivali Arnaldo Badodi, Renato Birolli in Renato Gatuso.

Pri Goriški matici (Unione editoriale Goriziana) je izšla knjiga Vesele zgodbe, za katero je prispeval naslovnico, medtem ko so ilustracije v knjigi delo več drugih avtorjev.

Med slikanjem na Višarjih, okoli 1937 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Painting on Monte Santo di Lussari, around 1937 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum 1937 of Modern Art, Ljubljana) Prvič je razstavljal na skupinski razstavi tržaških likovnikov v Trstu. V času študija v Monzi, okoli 1937 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ A student in Monza, around 1937 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

18 Lojze Spacal 1938 V maju je na nekem zborovanju mladih Slovencev na Livku spoznal svojo bodočo ženo Milojko Vodopivec.

1939 Po treh letih študija se je vrnil v Trst in se preživljal z risanjem vzorcev za blago. Preučeval je najrazličnejše tehnike, od intarzije, rezanega, barvanega in jedkanega stekla, tkanin, čipk, do knjižne opreme, plakata in freske. Prispeval je naslovnico za knjigo Andreja Budala, Osemnajst velikih, ki je izšla pri Goriški matici (Unione edito- riale Goriziana); njegovo ime je v njej navedeno kot S. Spacal (Slavko Spacal).

1940 V dvorani Jerco, v kateri so prirejali plese, je v tajnosti pripravil svojo prvo razstavo. Tržaški javnosti se je pred- stavil z linorezi in monotipijami, od katerih so jih nekaj odkupili slovenski intelektualci. Za vabilo v slovenski in italijanski različici je kratko predstavitev prispeval Vladimir Milett; umetnik se je na njem predstavil z imenom Slavko Spacal oziroma Luigi Spacal. Kritiki so njegova dela v olju, o katerih je umetnik dejal, da so mu pomeni- la nekakšen nadomestek otroških sanj, za katere je bil v svoji trpki mladosti prikrajšan, označili za "fantastični rea- lizem"; pozneje se je zanje uveljavil izraz magični realizem.

Za ladji Oceania in Neptunia je prispeval notranjo opremo; za vsako je izdelal osem dekorativnih panojev na lesu. Na panojih Neptunie so bile upodobitve vedut oziroma arhitekturnih posebnosti osmih italijanskih mest.

1941 Za ladjo Saturnia je izdelal dekorativni pano.

1942 V februarju je imel skupaj s šestimi tržaškimi umetniki razstavo v Gallerii della Permanente v Milanu; razstavljali so slikarji Riccardo Bastianutto, Avgust Černigoj, Adolfo Levier, Maria Lupieri in Anita Pittoni ter kipar Ugo Carà. Spacal se je s Černigojem prvič srečal že pred vojno, pozneje pa je bil z njim v nekem posebnem prijateljsko-tek- movalnem odnosu. Ugledni umetnostni kritik Agnoldomenico Pica je predstavil razstavo v milanski umetnosti reviji Domus in jo ilustriral s celostransko barvno reprodukcijo Spacalove slike. Njegovo naklonjeno zanimanje za Spacalovo umetnost, objavljeno v eni od vodilnih italijanskih specializiranih revij za umetnost, je avtorju omogoči- lo prodor v širše umetnostne kroge. Svoja dela je začel pošiljati na razne skupinske in nacionalne razstave v Rim, Torino, Firence in Benetke.

Vabilo na razstavo v Gallerii della Permanente, 1942 (Arhiv Narodne in študijske knjižnice v Trstu) ❚ Invitation to the exhi- bition at Gallerii della Permanente, 1942 (Archive of the National and Study Library in Trieste)

Življenjepis in bibliografija 19 Z Anito Pittoni ju je družilo nekakšno prijateljstvo; slikarka mu je pomagala pri prodaji slik v Milanu, v njenem krogu prijateljev pa je spoznal tudi pisatelja Gianija Stuparicha.

Za admiralsko ladjo Roma in oklepnico Vittorio Veneto je prispeval jedkana stekla z morskimi motivi za dekoracijo notranjosti; v salonih ladje Roma je bilo dvajset kvadratnih stekel, v oklepnici pa tri okrogla.

V župni cerkvi Sv. Jurija v Gradnem pri Kojskem v goriških Brdih je po naročilu župnika Bernardina Godniča zas- noval poslikavo prenovljene notranjščine v fresko in sgraffito tehnikah. Poslikavanje sten ga je navduševalo; kot je poročal Fran Šijanec kmalu po nastanku poslikav, je umetnik ob neki priložnosti priznal, da ima najrajši freske in da se počuti zares slikarja le, kadar stoji v delavski obleki na odru pred golo steno.

18. aprila se je poročil z Milojko Vodopivec iz Dornberka v Vipavski dolini. Izhajala je iz zavedne slovenske učiteljske družine in je bila tudi sama učiteljica. V njihovem gostoljubnem domu v Dornberku so se sestajali slovenski goriški in tržaški študentje ter zahajali na skupne izlete v gore.

Kmalu nato je bil aretiran in poslan v taborišče v samostanu Corropoli v Abrucih, kjer je preživel nekaj mesecev, ki jih je izkoristil za risanje. Po izpustitvi so ga v Trstu znova aretirali in poslali v delavske bataljone v Sarzano v Toskani, kjer je bil mobiliziran kot vojak, od tam pa so ga premestili v Forte dei Marmi pri Viareggiu. Tam se je srečal s svojim bivšim profesorjem Paganom, ki je bil rezervni polkovnik. Pagano je bil socialist in je Spacalu pri- našal ilegalno literaturo, med drugim tudi socialistično glasilo Avanti. Dovolil mu je tudi, da se je vsak dan nekaj ur posvečal umetnosti. Dobri odnosi med polkovnikom italijanske vojske in slovenskim izgnancem pa niso ostali skriti, in Spacal je bil premeščen v Ceccino v južni Italiji, kjer je dočakal kapitulacijo fašistične Italije. V konfinaciji je prebiral literaturo italijanskih avtorjev, od katerih mu je bil blizu Massimo Bontempelli, rad pa je imel tudi poe- zijo Federica Garcíe Lorce. Spacal kot vojak v kazenskem bataljonu v Sarzanu v Toscani, 1943 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Spacal as a soldier of the penal battalion in 1943 Sarzano, Tuscany, 1943 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana) 10. maja se mu je v Dornberku rodil sin Savo. Dokler se vojna vihra ni povsem polegla, je žena z otrokom živela v Dornberku, kjer sta zanj skrbeli poleg nje še njena mama in sestra Zdenka. Spacal je medtem živel na ulici Cassala 81 v Trstu; tam je imel najverjetneje tudi atelje.

Prva stran zloženke Spacalove samostojne razstave v 1944 Gallerii d'arte "Al corso" v Trstu, 1944 (Arhiv Narodne in študij- ske knjižnice v Trstu) ❚ The first page of the leaflet to Spacal's 20. januarja so v tržaški Gallerii d'arte "Al Corso" solo exhibition at Gallerii d'arte "Al corso" in Trieste, 1944 odprli njegovo prvo večjo samostojno razstavo, jeseni (Archive of the National and Study Library in Trieste) pa se je samostojno predstavil še v milanski galeriji Il Milione. Medtem ko je bila prva razstava, če sodimo po besedah Borisa Pahorja, posebej pomembna za na- rodnozavedne Slovence v Trstu, saj "…so si januarja 1944 prav na Spacalovi razstavi, na tržaškem Korzu, slovenski ilegalci prišepetavali navodila za sestanke…", je druga vzbudila živo zanimanje tudi med italijanskimi likovnimi kritiki.

Z družino se je naselil v Rojanu, na ulici Sara Davis, atelje pa je imel še naprej v Trstu.

20 Lojze Spacal Pogled na razstavljena dela v Galleria d'arte "Al corso", 1944 (Arhiv Narodne in študijske knjižnice v Trstu) ❚ Exhibited works at Galleria d'arte "Al corso", 1944 (Archive of the National and Study Library in Trieste)

1945 Deloval je v Osvobodilni fronti skupaj z arhitektoma Zorkom Lahom in Franjom Kosovelom; skupaj s slednjim je deloval tudi v odboru za spomeniško varstvo. Člani odbora so hodili po vaseh, za katere so vedeli, da si domači- ni želijo postaviti spomenik svojim padlim. Pomagali so jim s splošnimi nasveti in pri izbiri prostora ter pri pre- gledu načrtov, ki so jih imeli največkrat že izdelane.

Po osvoboditvi je Spacal razstavljal na skupinski razstavi primorskih umetnikov v tržaški Gallerii d'arte "Al Corso", jeseni pa s tržaškimi umetniki v Jakopičevem paviljonu v Ljubljani. Ob tej priložnosti je bil prvič v Ljubljani, saj je bil kot politični preganjanec dolgo brez potnega lista. Srečal se je z Otonom Župančičem in Prežihovim Vorancem. Pozneje je spoznal in večkrat obiskal Staneta Kregarja, Maksima Sedeja in Marija Preglja, s katerimi je razpravljal o umetnosti; s Sedejem in Pregljem si je izmenjal tudi risbe. Po vojni je znova odkril svet Krasa, ki mu je bil ljub že od mladosti. Zbiral je predmete ljudske umetnosti, podobe na steklu, lesene kipce in majolike, saj je sam dejal, da je med mnogimi stvarmi, ki jih je videl in cenil, čutil kot najbližjo svoji naravi prav ljudsko umetnost.

Tiskovni urad pri ministrstvu Narodne vlade Slovenije ga je skupaj z Marijanom Pfeiferjem pooblastil za fotograf- sko dokumentiranje naravnih, etnografskih in kulturnih posebnosti krajev na Tržaškem in Goriškem v coni A. Tako sta se slikar in fotograf odpravila v spremstvu zgodovinarja Ludvika Zorzuta 19. in 20. oktobra v Julijsko krajino in tam posnela več leica filmov. Ohranjenih je več sto fotografij, ki jih je izdelal Foto oddelek Tiskovnega urada predsedstva Narodne vlade Slovenije, avtorstvo fotografij pa ni povsem jasno.

Pri Gregorčičevi založbi v Trstu je izšla drama Mire Mihelič v treh dejanjih Svet brez sovraštva, za katero je prispe- val naslovnico.

1946 Samostojno je razstavljal v Gallerii d'arte Trieste. Drobni katalog v slovenskem jeziku, ki je spremljal razstavo, pri- naša poleg besedila Giuseppeja Marchiorija tudi umetnikovo razmišljanje o lastnem ustvarjanju "Moje naziranje". Pri Gregorčičevi založbi v Trstu sta izšli dve knjigi z njegovimi ilustracijami. Za knjigo Oskarja Hudalesa Triglavov polet je prispeval dvanajst črno-belih ilustracij, za knjigo Venceslava Winklerja Mladec Dragožit. Zgodovinska povest za mladino pa naslovnico in dvanajst črno-belih ilustracij. Prispeval je likovno opremo za platnico Jadranskega koledarja.

Življenjepis in bibliografija 21 1947

V ateljeju v ulici Coroneo, 1947 (Zapuščina Lojzeta V Trstu se mu je 21. decembra rodil drugi sin Borut. Z družino se je iz Rojana preselil na Opčine, v ulico ❚ Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) In his studio in Conconello 41, atelje pa je imel še naprej v Trstu; po koncu vojne si ga je uredil v ulici Coroneo 1. Dokler se ni Coroneo Street, 1947 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana) Spacal izraziteje uveljavil kot umetnik, je družina živela v glavnem od učiteljske plače žene Milojke, ki je pouče- vala na osnovni šoli na Opčinah. Tu so živeli do leta 1963, ko so se preselili v Trst, v hišo na trgu Venezia 4.

1948 Prvič je razstavljal na Beneškem bienalu; v italijanskem paviljonu se je predstavil s štirimi lesorezi iz let 1945-47.

Prispeval je risbo za naslovnico zbirke črtic Borisa Pahorja Moj tržaški naslov, izdane pri Gregorčičevi založbi v Trstu.

1949 V samozaložbi je izšla prva monografija v slovenski različici z besedilom Borisa Pahorja, v italijanski pa z besedilom Marcella Paolija. Monografijo so prodajali v Knjigarni Štoka v Trstu in v umetnikovem ateljeju.

Sodeloval je pri likovni opremi razstave Gospodarske delavnosti jugoslovanske cone Tržaškega ozemlja v Kopru. Likovno je opremil deveti paviljon, posvečen ribištvu in solinarstvu. Pri tem je uporabil povečave svojih fotografij ribiških mrež, savudrijskih čolnov in drugih posnetkov, izdelal in okrasil številne konzole iz mavca, okrasil pano- je z nekakšnimi ploskimi barvnimi reliefi in poleg drugih sodelujočih umetnikov, od katerih vemo za Avgusta Černigoja, Roberta Hlavatija, Rudolfa Saksido, Avrelija Lukežiča, Jožeta Cesarja in Avgusta Andreja Bucika, oblikoval plakate za razna gospodarska podjetja: Radiofonija, Bor, Riba, Arrigoni, Fructus, Zadružna mlekarna. Pri projektu je sodeloval tudi arhitekt Franjo Kosovel.

Med poslikavanjem stene na razstavi Gospodarske delavnosti jugoslovanske cone Tržaškega ozemlja, 1949 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Painting a mural at the exhibition Economic Activities in the Yugoslav Zone of the Trieste Territory, 1949 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana) 22 Lojze Spacal Življenjepis in bibliografija 23 1949-52 Večkrat je razstavljal v tržaški galeriji Scorpione s slovenskimi tržaškimi umetniki ali samostojno.

1950 V Moderni galeriji v Ljubljani se je predstavil na Razstavi slikarskih in grafičnih del tržaških umetnikov.

1951 V samozaložbi je izšla mapa dvajsetih lesorezov in linorezov s slovenskim besedilom Franceta Steleta in italijan- skim besedilom Giuseppeja Marchiorija.

1952 Za Jadranski koledar je prispeval vinjete, v publikaciji pa najdemo tudi reprodukcije devetih njegovih grafik in petih risb.

Za zbornik 1 Stvarnost in svoboda je prispeval risbo.

1953 Prejel je nagrado za grafiko na 3. mednarodnem bienalu sodobne likovne umetnosti v Sao Paolu.

Z rezljanim panojem je opremil Banco di Napoli v Palazzo comunale v Trstu.

Likovno je opremil zbornik II Stvarnost in svoboda, za naslovnico pa uporabil risbo, ki je krasila že predhodno številko.

V ateljeju ob sliki Odsevi v solinah, 1953 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ In his studio next to the painting Reflections in Saltpans, 1953 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

24 Lojze Spacal 1954 Samostojno je razstavljal v Muzeju za umjetnost i obrt v Zagrebu in v Galeriji likovnih umjetnosti na Reki.

Za Stadion 1. maja v Trstu, delo arhitekta Eda Mihevca, je izdelal poslikavo z motivom morja v fresko tehniki. Ob prenovi stadiona leta 1997 so fresko, že prej popackano z barvo, precej poškodovali, a so jo naslednje leto z avtor- jevo vednostjo restavrirali, tako da še vedno krasi steno po prvotni zamisli.

Spacal je bil eden od soustanoviteljev ljubljanskega mednarodnega grafičnega bienala, katerega prva razstava se je pripravljala za naslednje leto.

V Piranu je kupil hišo na Punti, v neposredni bližini piranske obalne cerkvice. Njeno prenovo je zaupal arhitek- tu, rojaku in prijatelju Edu Mihevcu. Ob upoštevanju krajevne stavbarske tradicije je Mihevc, seveda ne brez umet- nikovega sodelovanja, ustvaril slikovit primorski ambient. V prenovljeni hiši ob morju s teraso, od koder sega pogled od savudrijskega rtiča, Strunjana, Trsta in Devina do Gradeža na drugi strani tržaškega zaliva, je imel avtor navado preživljati in ustvarjati več mesecev na leto. Od tod je zahajal v Savudrijo in Sečovlje opazovat delo ribičev in solinarjev, risat in fotografirat. V novem domu je prirejal razstave svojih del in razne sprejeme, a le do začetka sedemdesetih let, ko je obnovil staro domačijo v Škrbini na Krasu; takrat je namreč množični turizem skalil prvot- no vzdušje starodavnega mesta. Sčasoma je v Piran zahajal vse redkeje, nazadnje pa sploh ne več.

Ohranjena Spacalova pisma Mihevcu iz leta 1954 razkrivajo njuno prijateljsko razmerje, v katerem je umetnik Mihevcu zaupal tudi upravljanje s finančni sredstvi na svojem bančnem računu v Sloveniji.

1955 V Ljubljani se je prvič samostojno predstavil na obsežni razstavi v Moderni galeriji: razstavljal je slike, grafike in plastike. Za slovenski kulturni prostor je razstava pomenila pravo odkritje, za umetnika pa prodor v jugoslovans- ki kulturni prostor. Tega leta so se razpisala tudi domača kritiška peresa: poleg Zorana Kržišnika tudi Emilijan Cevc v reviji Naša sodobnost in Edvard Ravnikar v reviji Arhitekt. Razstava je bila odprta na predvečer 1. mednarodne grafične razstave v Moderni galeriji, na kateri je Spacal sodeloval in prejel nagrado založbe Kmečka knjiga. Odtlej je vse do leta 1999 razstavljal na vseh ljubljanskih grafičnih bienalih, vedno v italijanski selekciji.

Izdelal je osnutek za mozaik v steklu Alegorija podeželja za palačo Glavne zadružne zveze na nekdanji Titovi 41 (sedaj Slovenska cesta) v Ljubljani.

V oktobru je obiskal Pariz in se seznanil z Venom Pilonom. Vendar dlje kot do januarja v umetnostni metropoli ni zdržal. Občutil jo je kot dekadentno, pogrešal pa je tudi Kras in burjo. Pozneje se je pogosto vračal v Pariz; V ateljeju ob grafiki Lunapark, 1954 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, obiskoval je tudi Pilona, ki ga je presenetil s svojim skromnim življenjem. Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ In his studio next to the graphic print Fun Fair, 1954 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Arhitekt Edo Mihevc je za dekoracijo notranjščine gostilne Figovec poleg originalnih Spacalovih grafik uporabil še Art, Ljubljana) povečave nekaterih njegovih grafik, s katerimi je povsem prekril stene, za oblazinjene stole in klopi ter zavese pa je uporabil blago z dekoracijo, narejeno po umetnikovi zamisli.

Sredi petdesetih let je nekega poletja z ženo odšel v Makedonijo, kjer naj bi sodeloval pri komisiji za vrednotenje tamkajšnje kulturne dediščine. Ogledal si je številne kraje, kamor ga je vozil njemu namenjeni voznik, a naj- močneje so se mu v spomin vtisnili stari samostani v bližini Ohridskega jezera. Tamkajšnja srednjeveška arhitek- tura, pokrajina in kultura nasploh so nanj naredile zelo močan vtis. Tako je pozneje večkrat poudaril, da je srečan- je z makedonsko pokrajino vplivalo na njegovo ponovno odkritje Krasa.

1956 Z umetnikove prve samostojne razstave v ljubljanski Moderni Sodeloval je na VII Quadriennalu v Rimu in bil nagrajen z nagrado mesta Rim - Premio Cittá di Roma. Njegov uspeh galeriji, 1955; Lojze Spacal in igralka Vladoša Simčič ni ostal neopažen: rimska Galleria d'arte moderna je kupila sliko Sončni zahod v Savudriji, švedski galerist in trgo- (Fotoarhiv Moderne galerije, Ljubljana) ❚ From the artist's first solo exhibition at the Ljubljana vec z umetninami Josef Selikowitz iz Stockholma pa 42 slik in osem lesenih skulptur, nakar je na Švedskem pripra- Museum of Modern Art, 1955; Lojze Spacal and actress vil vrsto Spacalovih razstav. Spacal je nato dve leti delal zanj; predal naj bi mu še okoli 40 slik v olju. Vladoša Simčič (Photo archive of the Ljubljana Museum of Modern Art)

Življenjepis in bibliografija 25 Notranjščina gostilne Figovec, okoli 1955 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Interior of Figovec Inn, around 1955 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

Z razstave VII. Quadrienale v Rimu, 1956 (Foto: Studio fotografico d'arte "Mapis" iz Rima. Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ From the exhibition VII. Quadriennale in Rome, 1956 (Photo: Studio fotografico d'arte "Mapis", Rome. The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

1957 Razstavljal je v galeriji Rive Gauche v Parizu, francoski javnosti pa se predstavil tudi v televizijskem intervjuju. Skupaj z Zoranom Mušičem je bil povabljen k razstavljanju v bavarskem državnem muzeju, Bayerisches Nationalmuseum v Münchnu. Spacal je razstavil okoli 120 grafik iz obdobja 1937-1957, Mušič pa 25 grafik.

Na 29. beneškem bienalu je razstavil osem lesorezov s kraškimi motivi in prejel prestižno prvo mednarodno nagrado Grand prix za risbo in grafiko.

Prvo nagrado je prejel tudi na 1. trienalu barvne grafike v Grechnu v Švici. Razstavljal je v galeriji Konsthallen Götaplatsen v Göteborgu in za več mesecev odšel na Švedsko, kjer je tudi ust- varjal. Za prodajo del je skrbel galerist Selikowitz.

1958 Edo Mihevc ga je znova povabil k sodelovanju: za hotel Palace na Ohridu je prispeval osnutek za dekoracijo ste- brov - šlo je za rezljano dekoracijo.

1959

Na terasi svoje hiše v Piranu, okoli 1957 (Foto: Marijan Zmagal je na natečaju za opremo čezoceanske ladje Leonardo da Vinci. Za jedilni salon prvega razreda je izdelal Pfeifer. Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) tri velike lesene panoje v skupni površini 30 kvadratnih metrov. Ko je ladja naslednje leto krenila na prvo pot, se ❚ On the terrace of his house in Piran, around 1957 (Photo: Marijan Pfeifer. The estate of Lojze Spacal, je pridružil njenimi prvim potnikom. Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana) Kot nagrajenec beneškega bienala je razstavljal na Dunaju v Wiener Secession; grafike z razstave je odkupila dunaj- ska Albertina in muzej Victoria & Albert iz Londona.

Na 3. mednarodnem grafičnem bienalu v Ljubljani je prejel nagrado Izvršnega sveta.

Na 3. italijanski razstavi grafike v Benetkah ga je ministrstvo za industrijo in trgovino nagradilo s prvo nagrado za lesorez Città incantata (Začarano mesto).

Znova se je predstavil v Ljubljani: v Jakopičevem paviljonu je razstavil dela zadnjih dveh let. V Piranu je izdelal mozaik v kamnu na steni Beneške hiše.

Pri Mladinski knjigi je izšel roman Borisa Pahorja Kres v pristanu, za katerega je prispeval ilustracijo ovitka in dve ilustraciji v knjigi.

26 Lojze Spacal Predsednik Italije Giovanni Gronchi čestita Spacalu za nagrado na Beneškem bienalu, 1958 (Arhiv Narodne in študijske knjižnice v Trstu) ❚ Italian president Giovanni Gronchi congratu- lating Spacal for the Venice Biennial Award, 1958 (Archive of the National and Study Library in Trieste)

levo zgoraj: Med televizijskim snemanjem na razstavi v galeriji Rive Gauche v Parizu, 1957 (Foto: O'dette-Baumont. Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ top left: In front of television cameras at the exhibition at Rive Gauche Gallery, Paris, 1957 (Photo: O'dette-Baumont. The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

Pri tiskanju grafike Bizantinska katedrala, 1959 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Printing the graphic print Byzantine Cathedral, 1959 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

Življenjepis in bibliografija 27 Umetnik z fotoaparatom v Piranu, okoli 1962 (Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Artist with a camera in Piran, around 1962 (The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

1962 Z najnovejšimi slikanimi lesenimi ploščami in lesorezi se je predstavil v ljubljanski Mali galeriji.

V Piranu so odprli Galerijo Piran, ki je bila sprva mišljena kot podružnica Moderne galerije Ljubljana. Koordinator dela med Ljubljano in Piranom je bil Lojze Spacal. Poleti naj bi galerija prirejala razne razstave, sicer pa bi bila namen- jena stalni postavitvi zbirke sodobne jugoslovanske umetnosti. Predvideni so bili tudi stiki s sosednjo Italijo in s formo vivo v Portorožu, nameravali pa so ustanoviti še mednarodno grafično šolo, ki bi ji sledila grafična založba.

1963 Z Opčin se je z družino preselil na trg Venezia 4 v Trstu, v ozko hišo s tremi nadstropji. V zgornjem nadstropju si je uredil novi atelje in vanj preselil stvari iz svojega dolgoletnega ateljeja na ulici Coroneo. Kljub mednarodnim priznanjem in slavi je ostal vseskozi preprost, delaven in discipliniran človek, redkobeseden in zadržan, predvsem pa povsem predan svojemu ustvarjanju.

Spacal je v tržaških in italijanskih pomorskih krogih užival velik ugled ladijskega dekoraterja. Tega leta je zmagal na natečaju za likovno opremo čezoceanske ladje z imenom Eugenio C; za salon prvega razreda je naredil osnutek tapiserije Začarano mesto. Po njegovih predlogah so tapiserije izdelovale tkalke v Atelju '61 v Novem Sadu, ki jim je zaupal in katerih delo je zelo cenil.

V Piranu je za obnovljeno gledališče Tartini izdelal likovno opremo - kolaž iz lesa za luneto v preddverju.

1964 Po načrtih arhitekta Eda Mihevca je bil dokončan Slovenski kulturni dom v Trstu; za notranjo opremo je arhitekt predvidel dela tržaških umetnikov. Spacal je tako prispeval osnutek tapiserije Obmorsko mesto za nišo bara v foa- jeju parterja. Po prenovi gledališča leta 2001 tapiserija ne visi več tam.

Izšel je roman Borisa Pahorja Mesto v zalivu s štirimi reprodukcijami Spacalovih lesorezov: Jutro na Krasu (1947), Bazovica (1945), Ruševine na Krasu (1946) in Hrana za partizane (1944).

28 Lojze Spacal 1967 Pri mariborski založbi Obzorja in Založništvu tržaškega tiska je izšla knjiga Lojze Spacal z uvodnim besedilom Aleksandra Bassina; knjigo je oblikoval Jože Brumen.

Režiser Jože Babič je za Viba film posnel kratek, dvanajstminutni film Barva spomina. Avtor scenarija je bil Giorgio Sestan, kot strokovni sodelavec je pri filmu sodeloval tudi Aleksander Bassin.

Pri Mladinski knjigi je izšla mapa grafik iz let 1936-67 z besediloma Zorana Kržišnika in Franca Russolija, kot oblikovalec pa je sodeloval Jože Brumen.

Pierpaolo Venier, ljubiteljski režiser, sicer pa pravnik, je v produkciji združenja Asterisco konec leta 1967 posnel kratkometražni eksperimentalni film Spacal grafica (Spacal grafika), s katerim je želel predstaviti Spacalov pogled na Kras in Istro. Naslednje leto so film v posebni selekciji predvajali na beneškem filmskem festivalu.

Pri tiskanju grafike Lunin svit na Krasu, 1967 (Arhiv 1968 Narodne in študijske knjižnice v Trstu) ❚ Printing the graphic V začetku leta je muzej Revoltella v počastitev umetnikove šestdesetletnice pripravil razstavo Spacal: Opera grafi- print Moon Rising over Karst, 1967 (Archive of the National and Study Library in Trieste) ca 1937-1967 (Spacal: Grafična dela 1937-1967); razstavljenih je bilo 158 del. Razstavo je spremljala grafična mapa kot rezultat mednarodnega sodelovanja med milansko založbo Scheiwiller in ljubljansko Mladinsko knjigo. Mapo v nakladi 300 izvodov je oblikoval Jože Brumen, besedila pa so prispevali Rudolfo Palluchini, Franco Russoli in Giulio Montenero. V Slovenskem klubu v Trstu je bil otvoritveni večer razstave, 18. januar, posvečen Z otvoritve razstave v Mali galeriji leta 1971; desno umetniku; govoril je France Stele in predvajali so film Barva spomina. od Spacala je Stojan Batič (Fotoarhiv Moderne Galerije, Ljubljana) ❚ Opening of an exhibition at Mala Galerija, Ljubljana, 1971; to the right: Stojan Batič (Photo Za čezoceansko ladjo Raffaelo je izdelal osnutek tapiserije. archive of Ljubljana Museum of Modern Art) 1969 V Škrbini na Krasu je kupil opuščeno kmečko domačijo in jo s svojim intuitivnim in prirojenim občutkom za ritem, skladnost, razmerja in celovitost kraškega stavbarstva ter z ljubeznijo do kraškega izročila nasploh obnovil, dopol- nil in oblikoval v harmonično celoto, v kateri je bilo v vsaki stvari zaznati sled njegovega duha. Pozneje je ta pod- vig povezoval s svojo dolžnostjo, da se oddolži Krasu, v katerem je našel neizčrpen navdih za ustvarjanje in katere- ga izginjanje zaradi novih načinov zidave je prizadeto opazoval. Odtlej je tam z ženo preživljal poletja in ustvarjal. Tudi tu je pogosto prirejal razna srečanja umetnikov, kulturnikov, politikov, kritikov in galeristov z obeh strani meje.

Konec šestdesetih let je kupil fotoaparat Mamiya Super 23, dotlej pa je uporabljal Rolleiflex, od katerega se je ohranil tudi adaptor Rolleikin za filme leica formata.

1970 Na 6. slikarskem bienalu Plavi salon v Zadru, z naslovom Čovjek i more, je prejel prvo nagrado za grafiko Mesečina v Savudriji.

1971 Znova se je predstavil v Ljubljani v Mali galeriji; razstavljal je barvne lesoreze iz obdobja 1966-1970 in tapiserijo Kraški spomenik iz leta 1968.

V Trstu je izšla bibliofilska izdaja knjige Dušana Ferluge La Sacra Ostaria, katere naslovnico krasi njegov barvni lesorez Kraški borjač, 1957, notranjost pa poleg del petih italijanskih slikarjev tudi barvni lesorez Tihožije, 1946 in lesorez Kraška žena, 1956.

Življenjepis in bibliografija 29 1972 Goriški muzej je počastil umetnikovo petinšestdesetletnico z obsežno razstavo v gradu Kromberk; poleg 205 grafik je bilo razstavljenih tudi osem tapiserij, sedem lesenih skulptur in matric. 17. junija, na dan odprtja razstave, je umetnik odprl za javnost tudi svoj dom v Škrbini.

Naredil je osnutek za mozaik v steklu in kamnu v avli osnovne šole San Luigi v Trstu. Pri Državni založbi Slovenije je izšla knjiga Borisa Pahorja Grmada v pristanu, katere ovitek krasi reprodukcija Spacalove oljne slike Pes v Poreču iz leta 1957.

Med daljšo ustvarjalno krizo v sedemdesetih letih se je odločil skupaj z ženo obiskati Accetturo in bližnje pokra- jine. Upal je, da mu bo srečanje z nekoč samotno vasico sredi gozdov in polj, katere vaščani so ga s svojim kmečkim življenjem spominjali na Kraševce in kjer je spoznal svojo poklicanost za slikarstvo, pomagalo prebrodi- ti krizo. S potovanja je prinesel na ducate fotografij trullov - kamnitih stanovanjskih hiš brez oken in s stožčasto streho iz suho naloženih ploščatih kamnov - značilnih za ljudsko stavbarstvo Apulije.

1973 Za tržaško gledališče Giuseppe Verdi je izdelal scenografijo za opero Antonia Smareglija Nozze istriane (Istrska svatba). Pri milanski založbi Motta je v zbirki I giorni colorati (Pisani dnevi) izšla grafična mapa z naslovom Fantasie car- siche (Kraške domišljije); besedilo je prispeval Giuseppe Marchiori.

Pri Glasbeni matici v Trstu je izšla publikacija Orkester Glasbene matice - Trst 1953-1973, za katero je izdelal naslovnico.

Kot umetnik se je Spacal odzval na vojaški udar v Čilu. Tudi sicer je s človeško prizadetostjo vse do poznih let spremljal dogodke v svetu, ki so zaznamovali usode posameznih narodov: sprva fašistično zatiranje Slovencev in žrtve druge svetovne vojne, leta 1973 zatrtje demokratičnih sil v Čilu, pozneje pa vojne na Balkanu.

1974 Prejel je Prešernovo nagrado za grafični in slikarski opus.

Pri koprski založbi Lipa je izšla knjiga Spacal in Kras z uvodnim besedilom Zorana Kržišnika. Posebnost knjige so črno-bele fotografije Itala Zanniera kraških stavbarskih značilnosti, ki se po oblikovalski zamisli Oskarja Kogoja v jukstapoziciji vrstijo ob grafikah. Leto pozneje je pri isti založbi in v sodelovanju z založbo PB Studio Sas iz Padove izšla še dopolnjena izdaja Il carso di Spacal z dodatnim besedilom Giueseppeja Marchiorija.

Pri založbi Centro Internazionale della Grafica v Benetkah je izšla grafična mapa petih serigrafij Pietre del Carso (Kraški kamni) z besedilom Virgilia Boccardia.

V prvi polovici sedemdesetih let je kupil fotoaparat Yashica Mat 124 G.

1977 Ob umetnikovi sedemdesetletnici in štiridesetletnici ustvarjanja je bila v treh tržaških razstaviščih - na Gradu Sv. Justa, v veliki dvorani univerze in v Rižarni - odmevna in zelo obiskana razstava Luigi Spacal: Mostra antologica (Lojze Spacal: antologijska razstava).

30 Lojze Spacal Združenje kronistov Furlanije-Julijske krajine (Gruppo Giuliano Cronisti) mu je podelilo visoko priznanje, nagra- do zlati Just (San Giusto d'Oro), za umetniško uveljavljenost v svetu in za njegov prispevek h kulturni prepo- znavnosti Trsta v svetu. Bil je prvi slovenski dobitnik te nagrade.

1978 V Beogradu je prejel jugoslovansko nagrado Red zaslug za narod z zlato zvezdo; izročil mu jo je predsednik SFRJ Josip Broz Tito.

1979 Za Novo tržaško kreditno banko v Trstu je po njegovem osnutku nastala tapiserija Viseči čolni v Savudriji.

1980 Pri Založništvu tržaškega tiska je izšel ponatis pesniške in grafične mape Kosovel - Spacal: Kras-Carso-Karst. Petnajst grafik, originalnih lesoreznih odtisov Lojzeta Spacala, in prav toliko Kosovelih pesmi, prevedenih v hrvaščino, italijanščino in nemščino, spremlja esej Cirila Zlobca.

V Škrbini, okoli 1980 (Foto: Sergio Benedetti. Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ In Škrbina, around 1980 (Photo: Sergio Benedetti. The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

Življenjepis in bibliografija 31 1981 Ko je bilo dokončano zadnje delo Eda Mihevca, Slovenski kulturni dom v Gorici, katerega gradnja se je začela že leta 1974, ga je arhitekt znova povabil k sodelovanju. Izdelal je osnutek za mozaik v kamnu. Krasi steno atrija z arkadnim hodnikom, ki povezuje gledališko in športno dvorano in je obenem tudi vhod vanju.

1982 Za tržaško gledališče Giuseppe Verdi je za predstavo Antonio Illesberga Trittico izdelal scenografijo in kostumografijo.

Pri založbi Mladinska knjiga je izšla obsežna monografija Lojze Spacal; uvod je prispeval Gillo Dorfles, predgovor Zoran Kržišnik, besedila pa Giuseppe Marchiori, Jure Mikuž in Ina Stegen. Italijanska različica monografije je izšla pri založbi Arte e Pensiero v Firencah, ameriška pa pri založbi Alpine Art v New Yorku. Monografija je bila prvič predstavljena 1. oktobra 1983 v Škrbini, nato pa v Trstu.

1984 Pokrajina Furlanija-Julijska krajina mu je podelila zlato spominsko medaljo.

1986 Pri italijanski založbi Venetemblemi je izšla monografija Spacal: l'opera grafica 1935-1986, catalogo generale (Spacal: grafični opus 1935-1986, katalog del) v 1200 oštevilčenih izvodih s priloženo grafiko. Tekst v italijanščini je prispeval Vittorio Sgarbi, preveden pa je v slovenščino, angleščino in nemščino.

Na začetku druge polovice osemdesetih let je kupil fotoaparat Praktica MTL 5B, studijske luči in tudi video kamero JVC, a ker delovanja slednje ni prav dobro obvladal, je naprava bolj kot ne obležala.

1987 Ob osemdesetletnici je prejel priznanje Slovenske kulturno-gospodarske zveze iz Trsta - odličje boja in dela za vrhunsko umetniško ustvarjalnost, s katero je svet opozoril na svoje rodno okolje.

Postal je dopisni član Slovenske Akademije znanosti in umetnosti v Ljubljani.

Aljoša Žerjal, filmski amater, je o umetnikovem življenju in delu posnel filmski dokumentarec Barva spominov. Besedilo zanj je napisal Giulio Montenero. Film je bil posnet v italijanščini, prvič pa je bil - še nedokončan - pred- vajan na otvoritvah razstav ob umetnikovi osemdesetletnici v Galeriji Tržaške knjigarne in v Slovenskem kul- turnem domu v Trstu. Pozneje je bil preveden v slovenščino.

1988 V gradu Štanjel so odprli stalno zbirko njegovih del, galerijo pa poimenovani po njem. Razstavo je spremljala monografija L. Spacal: katalog razstave z besedili Jureta Mikuža, Ivana Sedeja in Giulia Montenera. Na otvoritvi so predvajali dokončani film Aljoše Žerjala Barva spominov. Umetnik je skupščini občine Sežana podaril 51 slik, 78 grafik in tapiserijo.

Razstavljal je v Gallerii Grigoletti v Pordenonu, mesto pa mu je podelilo medaljo kot zaslužnemu gostujočemu umetniku v tistem letu.

V Savudriji, 1987 (Foto: Maurizio Frullani. Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ In Savudrija, 1987 (Photo: Maurizio Frullani. The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

32 Lojze Spacal Pri fotografiranju, 1989 (Foto: Martin Spacal. Zapuščina Lojzeta Spacala, Moderna galerija, Ljubljana) ❚ Taking photographs, 1989 (Photo: Martin Spacal. The estate of Lojze Spacal, Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana)

1989 Skupščina občine Sežana ga je razglasila za častnega člana občine Sežana.

Sprejel je neodvisno kandidaturo za poslanca v evropskem parlamentu na volilni listi tržaških komunistov; utemel- jeval jo je s svojo demokratično zavestjo, ki je dozorela v njegovih mladih letih, ko je doživljal socialne krivice in bil zaradi protifašistične dejavnosti večkrat zaprt in izgnan.

23. septembra je v tržaški bolnišnici umrl njegov prvorojeni sin Savo.

1991 V preddverje dvorane deželnega sveta Furlanije-Julijske krajine so namestili sliko Mesto v zrcalu, umetnikovo delo iz zadnjih let, izdelano iz lesa in plute.

V Benetkah je prejel nagrado založbe Corbo e Fiore najbolj zaslužnim svetovnim mojstrom grafike Bulino d'Oro.

1992 V galeriji Cankarjevega doma so ob slovenskem kulturnem prazniku odprli razstavo Lojze Spacal. Kolaži - mešana tehnika 1963-91. Ob tej priložnosti je umetnik izrazil, kako prijetno se počuti, ker razstavlja v samostojni Sloveniji.

V počastitev umetnikove petinosemdesetletnice so v Gallerii Palazzo Vecchio 2 v Firencah odprli obsežno razsta- vo, izdali grafično mapo s tremi umetnikovimi grafičnimi listi in poezijo treh italijanskih avtorjev.

1993 Prejel je spominsko plaketo pokrajine Furlanija-Julijska Krajina.

1995 Na 21. mednarodnem grafičnem bienalu v Ljubljani je prejel častno premijo za umetniški opus in odkupno nagra- do posebne komisije.

1997 Ob umetnikovi devetdesetletnici so v muzeju Revoltella pripravili razstavo z naslovom Spacal 1937-1997. Sessant'anni di attivita artistica (Šestdeset let umetniškega delovanja). Zadnji dan razstave, 7. oktobra, je bil pred- vajan eksperimentalni film Pierpaola Veniera Spacal grafica (Spacal grafika) iz leta 1967.

1998 Pri slovenskem PEN-u je ob sodelovanju Društva slovenskih pisateljev in Zveze slovenskih kulturnih društev v Italiji izšel izbor pesmi slovenskih zamejskih pesnikov iz Italije Duh po morski soli; platnico knjige, ki jo je uredil Marko Kravos, krasi reprodukcija Spacalove grafike Mesto v noči iz leta 1951.

Življenjepis in bibliografija 33 1999 Za kraj Salež pri Zgoniku v Italiji je prispeval motiv na obnovljenem vodnjaku na Kržadi. Člani občinskega sveta so se mu za podarjeni motiv in zato, da je ponesel tematiko Krasa v svet, zahvalili tako, da so ga razglasili za čast- nega člana občine Zgonik.

Na 23. mednarodnem grafičnem bienalu v Ljubljani je prejel posebno nagrado.

Pri ljubljanski založbi Edina je izšla knjiga pesmi Borisa A. Novaka Odsotnost z dvanajstimi reprodukcijami grafik: Lunin mrk na Krasu (1968), Bledi mesec (1971), Arheološka trta (1969), Partizansko pokopališče (1982), Jesenski dan (1967), Poljski motiv (1964), Poletna noč na Krasu (1967), Okno na Krasu (1973), Kraški senik (1971), Lunin svit na Krasu (1967), Viseči čolni (1972). Esej o Spacalu je prispeval Zoran Kržišnik, esej o pes- niku pa Aleš Debeljak. Pesmi, eseja in naslovi grafik so prevedeni v deset svetovnih jezikov. Izšla je tudi Nova grafična mapa z dvanajstimi grafikami.

14. aprila je v bolnišnici na Nabrežini umrla je žena Milojka.

2000 V Moderni galeriji v Ljubljani je 24. aprila še prisostvoval otvoritvi svoje retrospektivne razstave, enajst dni po odprtju razstave, 6. maja, pa je v nabrežinski bolnišnici preminil. Pokopan je v kraški zemlji na majhnem pokopa- lišču v Škrbini.

Posthumno je prejel Jakopičevo nagrado. Prevzela sta jo vnuka Tanja in Martin Spacal. Sredstva nagrade sta podarila Moderni galeriji, ki ji je bil v trajno last predan tudi večji del umetnikovega arhiva.

Po umetnikovi smrti je režiser Matjaž Žbontar leta 2002 v koprodukciji s TV Slovenija in podjetjem Fatamorgana dokončal film po lastnem scenariju Oko Krasa, v katerega je poleg starejših intervjujev z umetnikom vključil tudi pogovor, ki ga je s Spacalom posnel v Škrbini nekaj let pred njegovo smrtjo. Izbor besedil je naredila Majda Hostnik.

34 Lojze Spacal Življenjepis in bibliografija 35

Bibliografija 1954 Razstava šole izdelovalcev mozaikov iz Spilimberga Boris Vizintin Villa Manin, Passariano, 2000 Poesia ritmica di Spacal Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Panorama, Reka, 30. 12. 1954, št. / No. 23-24, leto / Vol. 3, str. / Lojze Spacal; besedilo / text Lev Menaše p. 10, ilustr. / illustr. Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije, Ljubljana 2000 Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue 1956 Lojze Spacal: retrospektiva Objava grafike v okviru natečaja Vis Securit - Domus Moderna galerija, Ljubljana, 2000 Domus, avgust / August 1956, št. / No. 321, str. / pp. 32-33 Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue

Bibliografija do leta 2000 Zoran Kržišnik 1961 Zadnje čase je Spacal videl predvsem briljantno belino kraškega kamna predstavlja dopolnitev biblio- Gillio Dorfles Kras, Ljubljana, junij / June 2000, št. / No. 40, str. / pp. 4-5 grafskih podatkov, objavljenih v La IV Mostra Internazionale dell' Incisione, a Lubiana Magda Jevnikar razstavnem katalogu Lojze Domus, Milano, oktober / October 1961, št. / No. 383, str. / pp. 37- Lojzetu Spacalu v spomin 39, ilustr. / illustr. Spacal: retrospektiva. Moderna Mohorjev koledar, Gorica 2000, str. / pp. 170-172 galerija, Ljubljana, 2000. 1970 Antonello Negru Pittori del Novecento in Friuli-Venezia Giulia Tristano Toich The here published bibliography Magnus edicioni Udine 2000, str. / p. 278 La condizione di Spacal for the 1954-2000 period com- Panorama, Reka, 31. marec / March 1970, št. / No. 6, str. / p. 17, Milček Komelj prises additional bibliographical ilustr. / illustr. Grafike in slike Lojzeta Spacala (1907-2000) references, not published in the Nova revija, Ljubljana, april-maj / April-May 2000, letnik / Vol. XIX, št. / No. 216-217, str. / pp. 246-248 exhibition catalogue Lojze Spacal: 1992 retrospectiva / Retrospective Iztok Premrov Tatjana Pregl Kobe (Ljubljana, Moderna galerija, TV Dnevnik, Spacal v Galeriji Cankarjevega doma v Ljubljani Oživeli kamen ljubezni 2000) Televizija Slovenija, Ljubljana, predvajano / broadcast 7. 2. 1992 Likovne impresije, Založba Mondena Ljubljana 2000, str. / pp. 16-34. Boris A. Novak, Lojze Spacal 1997 Odsotnost Edina, Ljubljana 2000 Iztok Premrov TV Dnevnik, Retrospektiva v Trstu Odšel slikar Krasa Televizija Slovenija, Ljubljana, predvajano / broadcast 14. 6. 1997 Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 7. 5. 2000, št. / No. 105, str. / pp. 1+2 1999 Drago Mirošič Tatjana Pregl Kobe V slovo Lojzetu Spacalu, slikarju Krasa Stilizirani procesi v grafikah Lojzeta Spacala Umrl slikar Lojze Spacal Likovni svet, november / November 1999, št. / No. 43, str. / pp. 17- Nedelo, Ljubljana 7. 5. 2000, št. / No. 19, str. / pp. 1-2 20, ilustr. / illustr. Boris Gombač Lojze Spacal, Galerija Avsenik; besedilo / text Tatjana Pregl Kobe, Lojze Spacal, umetnik slovenskega Trsta Sonja Tomažič Večer, Maribor, 8. 5. 2000, št. / No. 104, str. / p. 10 Begunje, marec / March 1999 Igor Bratož Razstavni katalog (zgibanka) / Exhibition Catalogue (leaflet) Samotni trubadur Krasa. Lojze Spacal 1907-2000 Delo, Ljubljana, 8. 5. 2000, št. / No. 104, str. / p. 6 2000 Lojze Spacal, slikar Krasa. V Trstu je v soboto umrl umetnik Grafična mapa za leto 2000; besedilo / text Jožko Vetrih, urednik / Dnevnik, Ljubljana, 8. 5. 2000, št. / No. 124, str. / p. 10 editor Franko Vecchiet Lojzetu Spacalu v zadnji pozdrav. Dopisa D. Mirošiča in S. Spadara / Trst : Zadruga Primorski dnevnik, 2000 Letters from D. Mirošič and S. Spadaro Mapa 5 grafičnih listov, 5 umetnikov v 60 izvodih / Folder containing Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 9. 5. 2000, št. / No. 106, str. / p. 8. prints by 5 artists in 60 copies Tržaška javnost bo počastila spomin na Lojzeta Spacala Lojze Spacal. Bilder aus dem Karst; besedilo / text Klaus Zlattinger Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 10. 5. 2000, št. / No. 107, str. / pp. 5, 8 Spittal : Spittaler Galerie, 2000 Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Irena Destovnik Umrl tržaški slikar Lojze Spacal Lojze Spacal: Ein Meilenstein slowenischer Kunst Slovenski vestnik, Celovec, 11. 5. 2000, št. / No. 19, str. / p. 5. Oberkärntner Nachrichten, 21. 1. 2000, št. / No. 3, str. / pp. 8-9, ilustr. / illustr. Jurij Paljk Odšel je Lojze Spacal Novi glas, Trst / Gorica, 11. 5. 2000, št. / No. 17, str. / p. 6 38 Lojze Spacal Nelida Nemec Brane Kovič Slikarjeve sanje o Krasu Res že vse povedano? Primorske novice, Koper, 12. 5. 2000, št. / No. 28, str. / p. 24, Delo, Ljubljana, 10. 5. 2000, št. / No. 106, str. / p. 9. ilustr. / illustr. Enzo di Martino "Bil je velik umetnik, Slovenec in svetovljan". Sinoči žalna seja Nel carsico Spacal, i richiami del mare v Kulturnem domu Il Gazzettino, Venezia / Benetke, 25. 5. 2000, str. / p. 21, ilustr. / illustr. Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 12. 5. 2000, št. / No. 109, str. / Marko Kružić pp. 1, 7. Fantastični realizam Ciril Zlobec Vijenac, Zagreb, 1. 6. 2000, št. / No. 163, str. / p. 22, ilustr. / illustr. Lojze Spacal 1907-2000 Jasna Merku Delo, Ljubljana, 12. 5. 2000, št. / No. 108, str. / p. 14. Razstava ob sklepu ustvarjalnega opusa Judita Krivec Dragan Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 2. 6. 2000, št. / No. 126, str. / p. Optimistična svetloba sonca 12, ilustr. / illustr. Dnevnik, Ljubljana, 13. 5. 2000, št. / No. 128, str. / p. 13. Marijan Zlobec Lojze Spacal počiva v ljubljeni kraški zemlji Končno prvi umetniški pregled Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 14. 5. 2000, št. / No. 111, str. / Delo, Ljubljana, 17. 1. 2000, št. / No. 13, str. / p. 8, ilustr. / illustr. pp. 1, 2. Branko Marušič Jani Ravenko Amacord Olimpijsko zasanjan Kras Oko, Nova Gorica, 25. 5. 2000, št. / No. 222, str. / p. 12. Družina, Ljubljana, 28. 5. 2000 Tanja Jaklič Nagrada Riharda Jakopiča posthumno Lojzetu Spacalu Majski salon intime Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 10. 6. 2000, št. / No. 133, str. / p. 9. Delo, Ljubljana, 19. 5. 2001 št. / No. 114, str. / p. 9. Marijan Zlobec Irena Brejc Zakaj prepozno? Prvinski dotik Delo, Ljubljana, 10. 6. 2000, št. / No. 133, str. / p. 7 Dnevnik, Ljubljana, 17. 5. 2000, št. / No. 132, str. / p. 27, ilustr. / illustr. Nadia Bassanese, Fabio Amodeo, G.Montenero Kf Arte e natura a colloquio / Umetnost in narava v dvogovoru Nad finim sitom. Umetnostni zgodovinarji in ostali poznavalci o Spacalu Založnik Občina Trst - Comune di Trieste, 2000 Primorske novice, Koper, 16. 5. 2000, št. / No. 39, str. / p. 12. Milko Rener Marijan Zlobec Razpršena generacija s primorskimi in goriškimi koreninami Interpretacija retrospektive Umetnost 20. stoletja na Goriškem in v Posočju, uredil / ed. Marko Vuk Delo, Ljubljana, 26. 4. 2000, št. / No. 97, str. / p. 9. Mohorjeva družba, Gorica 2000, str. / pp. 87-109, ilustr. / illustr. Aleksandra Saksida Metka Cotič, Igor Gerdrih Kljubovanje vetru in soncu. Lojze Spacal, retrospektiva Primorske novice, Koper, 5. 5. 2000, št. / No. 36, str. / p. 7, ilustr. / Delo, Ljubljana, 27. 12. 2000, št. / No. 299, str. / p. 19. illustr. Veselka Šorli Puc Lojze Spacal, after 45 years in the Modern Gallery again Preprosto in pristno. Ob retrospektivi Lojzeta Spacala Likovni svet, maj / May 2000, št. / No. 49, str. / pp. 26-27, ilustr. / illustr. Zvon, Ljubljana 2000, letnik / Vol. 3, št. / No. 3 (2000), str. / pp. 37-43 Odšel je likovni arheolog Krasa Likovni svet, junij / June 2000, št. / No. 50, str. / pp. 30 -31, ilustr. / Visionen von der Schaffung einer besseren Welt illustr. Lojze Spacal. Bilder aus dem Karst Iztok Premrov, režiserka / director Branka Mladenič Kärntner Tageszeitung, Klagenfurt / Celovec, 11. 1. 2000 Oddaja / TV programme Podoba podobe, izjave / comments: Igor Darinka Kladnik Kranjc, Giulio Montenero, Peter Krečič, Franko Vecchiet, Zoran Lojze Spacal po 45 letih Kržišnik, Tatjana Pregl Kobe Dnevnik, Ljubljana, 25.4.2000, št. / No. 113, str. / p.19, ilustr. / illustr. Televizija Slovenija, 25. 5. 2000 Marijan Zlobec Mimi Podkrižnik Večni slikar Krasa Z malo duše Delo, Ljubljana, 25. 4. 2000, št. / No. 96, str. / p. 6, ilustr. / illustr. Delo, Ljubljana, 27. 5. 2000, št. / No. 121, str. / p. 29 Sinoči odprli veliko retrospektivo Lojzeta Spacala, slikarja Krasa TV Dnevnik, Iztok Premrov - Retrospektiva v Moderni galeriji, Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 26. 4. 2000, št. / No. 96, str. / pp. Televizija Slovenija, Ljubljana, predvajano / broadcast 25. 4. 2000 1, 8, ilustr. / illustr. TV Dnevnik, Iztok Premrov - In memoriam L. S. Marjana Virant Televizija Slovenija, Ljubljana, predvajano / broadcast 6. 5. 2000 Človeškost kamnitega Krasa Finance, Ljubljana, 5. 5. 2000, št. / No. 52, str. / p. 8, ilustr. / illustr. Življenjepis in bibliografija 39 2001 Tatjana Pregl Kobe Izbrana dela slovenskih avtorjev iz zbirk MG 1950 - 2000 Lojze Spacal, Mestna galerija Piran Moderna galerija Ljubljana, 2001 Slovenske novice, Ljubljana, 12. 7. 2001, št. / No. 158, str. / p. 21, Katalog zbirke / Collection Catalogue ilustr. / illustr. Lojze Spacal in Vladimir Makuc. Dva pogleda z začetka šestdesetih Obalni razstavi Besedilo / Text: Lev Menaše Slovenske novice, Ljubljana, 5. 7. 2001, št. / No. 152, str. / p. 21, Mestna občina Kranj, Kranj 2001 ilustr. / illustr. (iz odprtja / from the opening) Razstavni katalog (zloženka) / Exhibition Catalogue (leaflet) bip Neznani Lojze Spacal Neznani Spacal z morskimi motivi Besedilo / Text: Nives Marvin, Vasja Nagy Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, št. / No. 149, leto / Vol. LVII, Obalne galerije, Piran 2001 str. / pp. 1, 10, ilustr. / illustr. Razstave / Exhibitions: Mestna galerija Piran 2001, Kosovelov Danica Cmrečnjak dom Sežana 2003 Neznani Lojze Spacal Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Dnevnik, Ljubljana, 23. 6. 2001, št. / No. 167, str. / p. 13, ilustr. / illustr. Marko Vuk Tomo Vidic Srečanje z moderno umetnostjo. Ob prvi obletnici smrti Lojzeta Spacala Dopolnjen ''avtoportret'' (intervju z Nives Marvin) Novi glas, Trst / Gorica, 31. 5. 2001, št. / No. 21, str. / p. 7. Primorske novice, Koper, 22. 6. 2001, št. / No. 50, str. / p. 18 Jasna Merku Branka Avsenik Likovni portreti Trsta Oddaja / TV programme Kultura, Neobjavljene slike Lojzeta Spacala Tržaška knjiga; pesmi, zgodbe in pričevanja, izbrala in uredila / selected v Piranu and edited by Marija Pirjevec Televizija Slovenija, 22. 6. 2001 Slovenska matica, Ljubljana 2001, str. / pp. 404-417, ilustr. / illustr. Štanjel, večnost kamnitega trenutka (dokumentarec / documentary) Milček Komelj Scenarij in režija / Written and directed by: Jani Virk Sklepno pojasnilo o slikarskih avtoportretih Televizija Slovenija, predvajano / broadcast 6. 8. 2001 Nova revija, Ljubljana, januar-marec / January-March 2001, št. / No. 225, 226, 227, str./pp. 390-391, ilustr. / illustr. Iztok Premrov Osmi dan - Neznani Spacal, izjava Nives Marvin Boris Gorupič Televizija Slovenija, Ljubljana, predvajano / broadcast 1. 11. 2001 Naključne upodobitve istrskega preteklika Finance, Ljubljana, 30. 7. 2001, št. / No. 132, str. / p. 15, ilustr. / illustr. 2002 Bn Stojan Batič, Drago Tršar, Vladimir Makuc,...; besedilo / Spacal in Makuc v Prešernovem mestu text Lev Menaše Dnevnik, Ljubljana, 6. 11. 2001, št. / No. 299, str. / p. 24, ilustr. / illustr. Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije, Ljubljana 2002 Boris Šuligoj Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Spacalovi temelji v Istri Grafična mapa ZZZS; besedilo / text Lev Menaše Nedelo, Ljubljana, 24. 6. 2001, št. / No. 25, str. / p. 13, ilustr. / illustr. Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije, Ljubljana 2002 n.g. V grafični mapi tudi 6 Spacalovih grafik / Folder includes 6 Spacal Razstava Neznani Lojze Spacal v soboški Galeriji prints Večer, Maribor, 16. 10.2001, ilustr. / illustr. (prizorišče / scene) Majda Božeglav Japelj Oddaja / TV programme Cultura Obalne galerije v letu 2001 (ali kaj je v razstavni ponudbi preteklega Milivoj Roš: Galerija Murska Sobota leta najbolj razburkalo javnost) Razstava / Exhibition ''Neznani Lojze Spacal'' v sodelovanju z Primorska srečanja, Nova Gorica, 2002, št. 253-4, str. 47 -53 Obalnimi galerijami TV Slovenija, 17. 10. 2001 Lojze Spacal - oko Krasa (dokumentarec / documentary) Avtorja / Authors: Matjaž Žbontar, Nelida Nemec Robert Inhof Televizija Slovenija, predvajano / broadcast 18. 6. 2002 Neznani Lojze Spacal Vestnik MS, Murska Sobota, 18. 10. 2001, leto / Vol. LIII, št./No. 42, Tina Čič ilustr. / illustr. Lojze Spacal - oko Krasa Primorske novice, Koper, 18. 6. 2002, št. / No. 48 Piran, Mestna galerija / The unknown Lojze Spacal Likovni svet, september / September 2001, št. / No. 16, str. / pp. 18- Urša Splichal 19, ilustr. / illustr. Žena je skrivala njegova dela, da jih ne bi uničil Ona, Ljubljana, 16. 4. 2002, št. / No. 15. str. / pp. 24-27, ilustr. / illustr. Valentina Plahuta Simčič Izgubljeni in spet najdeni Spacal Na ogled dela iz niza Neznani Lojze Spacal. Ravne na Koroškem - Delo, Ljubljana, 3. 8. 2001, št. / No. 177, str. / p. 6, ilustr. / illustr. likovni salon na gradu Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 1. 2. 2002, št. / No. 26, str./p. 4, ilustr. / illustr.

40 Lojze Spacal bks 2004 Noble maritime Sommerfrische an der Wand Lojze Spacal Kärtner Tageszeitung, Celovec / Klagenfurt, 6. 2. 2002, št. / No. 31, Besedilo / Text Iztok Premrov str. / pp. 24 -25, ilustr. / illustr. Galerija Gorenje, Velenje 2004 Razstavni katalog (zloženka) / Exhibition Catalogue (leaflet) saš Ravne na Koroškem: razstava Lojzeta Spacala. Pred tremi leti na Lojze Spacal (1907-2000). Zaznamovan s samoto podstrešju najdena dela Besedilo / Text Iztok Premrov Večer, Maribor, 5. 2. 2002, str. / p. 15. Galerija Zala, Ljubljana 2004 Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue B.Š. (Boris Šuligoj) Slovenski grafiki iz zamejstva Preseženi likovni okvir 1962 - 2004 Delo, Ljubljana, 20. 2. 2002. št. / No. 41. str. / p. 7, ilustr. / illustr. Besedilo / Text Aleksander Bassin: Od prostora teksture do sublimarne reliefnosti / From the breakthrough of texture to sublimated relief Petnajst grafik in pesniška zbirka Mestna Galerija Ljubljana - Bežigrajska galerija 2, Ljubljana 2004 Primorske novice, Koper, 15. 2. 2002, št. / No. 13, str. / p. 16. Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Tržaški večer v Galeriji Herman Pečarič Piran Grafike odabrane iz zbirke MMSU-a. Prints from the MMSU collection Primorski utrip, februar / February 2002, št. / No. 96, str / p. 9. Besedilo / Text Branko Franceschi Muzej moderne i suvremene umjetnosti Rijeka, Reka 2004 2003 Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Lojze Spacal: besedilo / text Iztok Premrov Museo Revoltella Trieste. La Guida / The Guide Galerija Lek, Ljubljana 2003 Museo Revoltella Trieste / Trst, 2004 Razstavni katalog (zloženka) / Exhibition Catalogue (leaflet) Vodnik po zbirki / Guide to the Collection Grand Prix: slovenski nagrajenci grafičnih bienalov, Slovene prize win- Tatjana Pregl Kobe ners of graphic art biennials, avtorja / authors Tomislav Vignjevič in Lojze Spacal. Galerija Lojzeta Spacala, Štanjel na Krasu Zoran Kržišnik Slovenske novice, Ljubljana, 2. 9. 2004, št. / No. 205, str. / p. 21. Mednarodni grafični likovni center, Ljubljana 2003 Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Gli Sloveni in Europa dal VI al XXI secolo Urednika / editors: Jože Pirjevec, Jože Skerk Ivan Žerjal Umetnostni in kulturni center Skerk, Trnovica, 2004 Lojze Spacal (1907-2000). Mala galerija Mladike Mladika, Trst / Trieste 2003, št. / No. 10. Boris Gorupič Kras v modernistični podobi: Lojze Spacal: iz stalne zbirke Nives Marvin PR - časopis Koroške galerije likovnih umetnosti, Slovenj Gradec 2004, Razstava "Neznani Lojze Spacal" v piranski Mestni galeriji št. / No. 2, str. / p. 7 MG godišnjak muzealaca i galerista Istre, Rovinj 2003, leto / Vol. 8, št. / No. 8, str. / pp. 43-46 Slikarska kolonija Izlake - Zagorje: 1964-2004; besedilo / text Milček Komelj Cene Avguštin, Tihomir Pinter, Damir Globočnik Založba Pisanica, Ljubljana 2004 Portreti. Slovenski likovniki v Avstriji in Italiji / Portraits. Slowenische bildende Künstler in Österreich und Italien / Ritratti. Gli artisti Sloveni Nives Marvin in Austria e in Italia Začarano mesto Lojzeta Spacala v Banki Koper Mohorjeva družba Celovec / Klagenfurt, Mohorjeva družba Gorica / GledGa, Koper - Piran, marec / March 2004, leto II / Vol II, št. / No. Gorizia, 2003 2, str. / p. 9, ilustr. / illustr. Tatjana Pregl Kobe B.Š. Lojze Spacal. Galerija Lek, Ljubljana Začarano mesto v prenovljeni Banki Koper Slovenske novice, Ljubljana, 20. 11. 2003, št. / No. 268, str. / p. 21, Delo, Ljubljana, 9. 4. 2004, št. / No. 84. str./p. 6, ilustr. / illustr. ilustr. / illustr. Ds ms Spacal in oljka v banki Neznani Lojze Spacal. Ob kulturnem prazniku v Sežani razstava Primorske novice, Koper, 9. 4. 2004, št. / No. 29, str. / p. 11, ilustr. / tega velikega interpreta Krasa illustr. Primorske novice, Koper, 31. 1. 2003, št. / No. 9. str. / p. 17. km Tina Čič Največje Spacalovo platno odslej v prenovljeni koprski poslovalnici Tone Kralj in neznani Spacal Banke Koper Primorske novice, Koper, 11. 2. 2003, št. / No. 12. str./p. 14. Večer, Maribor, 9. 4. 2004, št. / No. 8, str. / p. 15. Maja Ogorevc, Miča Vipotnik Izginile Spacalove grafike Dnevnik, Ljubljana, 18. 2. 2004, št. / No. 47, str. / p. 22, ilustr. / illustr.

Življenjepis in bibliografija 41 2005 Joško Vetrih Towards zero gravity: zaključek projekta L'attivita artistica nella seconda meta del Novecento Besedila / texts: Zdenka Badovinac, Jana Ferjan, Igor Zabel Cultura slovena nel goriziano, Instituto di storia sociale e religiosa, Moderna galerija Ljubljana 2005 Gorica / Gorizia 2005, str. / pp. 165-192 Razstavni katalog (razstava na spletu [http://zerogravity.mg-lj.si], raz- Jasna Merku stavni katalog in CD-ROM tvorijo celoto / Exhibition Catalogue (con- Vrhunski izbor del Lojzeta Spacala sists of online exhibition [http://zerogravity.mg-lj.si], exhibition cata- Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 20. 4. 2005, št. / No. 93, str. / logue and CD-ROM) p. 12, ilustr. / illustr. Luigi Spacal. Opere 1935 - 1998 Bruno Podveršič Besedilo /Text Enzo Santese Zoran Mušič in Lojze Spacal v župnijski cerkvi v Gradnem Polveriera napoleonica, Palmanova, 18. september-18. oktober 2005 Briški časnik, Dobrovo 2005, leto / Vol. 9, št. / No. 40, str. / pp. 31-33 Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Afro Basaldella, Mirko Basaldella, Luigi Spacal, Giuseppe Zigaina 2006 Besedilo / Text Marianna Accerboni Poletna fotografija slikarja in grafika Lojzeta Spacala (1907 - 2000); Galerija Cartesius, Trst 23.6.2005 - 23.7.2005 besedila / texts Brane Kovič in Milan Pajk Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Narodna galerija Ljubljana 2006 Memoria: Idea di Liberta Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Besedilo / Text Enzo Santese Lojze Spacal. Nočni let 60° Anniversario della Liberazione Besedila / texts: Borut Miklavčič, Martin Spacal, Giulio Montenero, Palazzo Frisacco, Tolmezzo 2-30 april / April 2005 Borut Spacal Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije, Ljubljana 2006 Muzej moderne i suvremene umjetnosti; urednik / editor Branko Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue Franceschi, besedilo / text Branko Cerovac Riznicata na slovenečkata grafika 1955-2005 / Treasures of Slovene Grad Rijeka, Odjel gradske uprave za kulturu: Muzej moderne i graphic art 1955-2005 Besedila / texts Barbara Jaki, Cvetan Grozdanov, suvremene umjetnosti, Reka 2005. Alenka Simončič, Majda Peklaj, Ljubica Klančar, Ivan Pirnovar Katalog zbirke / Collection Catalogue Likoven salon na Makedonskata akademija na naukite i umetnostite, Licio Damiani 18. april / April - 31. maj / May 2006 Vita di terra e di mare: L'epica corale del carso narrata da Luigi Spacal Slovenska akademija znanosti in umetnosti, 2006 Messagero Veneto, Udine / Videm, 4. 2. 2005, leto / Vol. 60, št. / Razstavni katalog / Exhibition Catalogue No. 29, str. / p. 19, ilustr. / illustr. Milček Komelj Enzo Santese Zoreči čas ustvarjalne likovne svobode. O slovenski likovnosti od 60-ih Luigi Spacal, Palmanova, Polveriera napoleonica let s posebnim pogledom na grafiko / Auf dem Weg zur schöpferischen Il Nuovo, Udine / Videm, 28. oktober / October 2005, leto / Vol. 5, Freiheit. Die slowenische Kunst ab den 60er Jahren und ihr grafischer št. / No. 227, str. / p. 23, ilustr. / illustr. Schwerpunkt Kunst an der Grenze / Umetnost na meji, zbornik uredila / edited by Enzo Santese Renata Šikornja Luigi Spacal, la poesia del Carso nella pittura di frontiera KIGRO. Kulturinitiative Galerie Rosegg, Rosegg / Rožek, 2006, str. / Il Gazzettino, Udine / Videm, 23. januar / January 2005, str. / p. 13, pp. 134-14, 144-150 ilustr. / illustr. Jasna Merku Vito Sutto Hommage Spacalu in njegovi priljubljeni motiviki Krasa Spacal: la poesia delle piccole cose Primorski dnevnik, Trst / Trieste, 20. 1. 2006, št. / No. 16, Il Friuli, 14. oktober / October 2005, leto/Vol. 11, št. / No. 38, str. / str. / p. 12, ilustr. / illustr. p. 20, ilustr. / illustr. Adela Vuković Verena Koršič Zorn Soline skozi Spacalovo oko L'arte dall'Ottocento al primo Novecento Finance, Ljubljana, 21. 6. 2006, št. / No. 117, str. / p. 24, ilustr. / illustr. Cultura slovena nel goriziano, Instituto di storia sociale e religiosa, Gorica / Gorizia 2005, str. / pp. 141 -163, ilustr. / illustr.

42 Lojze Spacal Lojze Spacal v Savudriji, okoli 1965 (fotomontaža, avtorjev arhiv) ❚ Lojze Spacal in Savudrija, circa 1965 (photomontage, The artist's archive)

Življenjepis in bibliografija 43 Traduzione in Italiano su www.spacal.net

Drago Mirošič Memories of an artist friend

Lojze Spacal's art attracted me even before I met younger Slovene painters on the Italian side of the bor- him in person in the 1960s. Our friendship deepened der. For some of them, he predicted a successful career. when I was consul-general in Trieste. In those days we My friendship with Lojze enabled me to get to know his used to meet frequently. I often accompanied him to his artist's ego in great detail. As a man of the Karst, I soon exhibitions. One of them, where it was my job to say a realised what a sensitive attitude he had towards the few introductory words about him, took place in the Karst and the peculiarities of this unique landscape, autumn of 1988 at the Modrijanov Mlin gallery in which is reflected so strongly in his artistic statements. Postojna. My wife and I visited him at his house in He showed profound respect for the folk creativity and Škrbina. He first presented this house to his circle of art of the Karst, especially in stone. He sometimes used friends in 1973, following the opening of a major exhi- to say that stone was for him something sacred. Once, bition at Kromberk Castle. We were enchanted by the in an article about Lojze, I wrote that it was never dif- harmoniousness and accuracy with which he had reno- ficult for me to believe in what he created. The more I vated a typical Karst house complete with fireplace, with- got to know him, the more I understood what he want- out depriving it of its original appearance. The stone and ed to say about the Karst. wooden elements, old or newly fitted, including those crooked beams shaped by the raw burja blowing over He was not a loquacious man, but once he did start the Karst and the rustic hands of the Karst stonecutters, talking, he was indescribably interesting. He could take flow from his house into his famous prints. He was a perfectly ordinary story and tell it in such a way as to proud of the printmaking press that he had constructed have you in stitches. For example his story about the with the help of the locals. Visitors to Škrbina were time he and a friend from Trieste, also a painter, were served air-dried Karst ham and the local teran wine. In driving along a narrow road in the Karst in Lojze's car, the autumn we sometimes roasted chestnuts over the one evening after dinner, with the friend at the wheel. fire. The open hearth was arranged in the traditional Too much teran meant that his friend's hands were way. I was frequently invited to his flat in Trieste. This somewhat unsteady, with the result that the car began to flat was surprising for its simplicity and for the atmos- zigzag. Lojze warned him to watch how he was driving. phere that prevailed there. The mysterious silence was The driver answered in surprise: 'What do you mean strangely intoxicating and one could sense the greatness watch how I'm driving? I thought you were driving!' of his works, which were piled up in the flat. In the mid-1980s the idea of creating a permanent col- I remember drives across the Karst. We would find a lection of his work somewhere in the Karst became gostilna in the countryside around Dutovlje, Tupelče or increasingly realistic. This was something we talked Kopriva and stop there for refreshments. Sometimes he about quite a lot. He thought that the best thing would came to Lokve, where he inspected the renovation of be to set up a gallery somewhere along the border our old farmhouse, which is also entirely built of stone. between Slovenia and Italy. He was conscious of his On those occasions I learned a lot about his life, his dif- Slovene roots and the fact that he was well known as a ficult youth, the periods he spent in prison as an antifas- painter on both sides of the border. His art did away cist, his acquaintance with Mušič, Černigoj, Kosovel with the mental barriers along the frontier, which was and others. He often mentioned how when he was becoming increasingly open. He connected the Slovene very young he was entranced by the coloured images and Italian cultural worlds and was at the same time on glass that hung on the snow-white walls of his grand- woven into the international art sphere. We deliberated mother's house. But he did not only reminisce about on the most suitable location. The house in Škrbina the past. He followed currents in contemporary art with was too small. We also looked at a location in Sežana. great attention. He mixed with famous painters from It turned out that the most suitable location was the the Trieste area, and I got to know them too. It did not seventeenth-century castle in Štanjel. escape my notice that he also kept a close eye on the 44 Lojze Spacal It seemed perfectly normal to me that he should want of the municipality of Sežana) and the speeches, came me to help with regard to the gallery. Somehow he the artistic programme. First there was a ballet perform- sensed that as his friend I would be the driving force of ance entitled The Duel, in the presence of its composer, the project and that I would give my all to ensure that Baron Raffaello de Banfield Tripcovich of Trieste, who the gallery saw the light of day. The gallery committee, was also a colleague of mine from the Trieste group of which I headed, included Nataša Šumi, Nelida Silič consuls. The actors Mira Sardoč and Polde Bibič recit- Nemec, Dr Marijan Slabe, Zorko Harej, Mitja Mozetič, ed poems by Srečko Kosovel and Ciril Zlobec. Finally Suzana Mirošič, who worked closely with the artist, there was a fiery performance of Ravel's Bolero. Then Miloš Bajc, Bojana Kermolj and Damjan Grmek. We came the opening of the gallery. There was enormous realised that we had taken on a large and difficult task, interest in the master artist's work among the guests. I especially since the renovation of Štanjel Castle repre- spent the whole evening with Lojze, who was satisfied sented an extremely important step towards the conser- that his wish had come true. At the end we remained vation of cultural heritage. almost alone, so that we were the last to arrive at the reception. With reference to the event at Štanjel, I wrote The brilliant plan for the partial renovation of the cas- in Primorski dnevnik that by donating this collection tle, where the gallery was to be situated, was drawn up Lojze had paid his debt to the Karst in the most beauti- by the architect Nataša Šumi. She was aware of the ful way, while for their part the people of the Karst had importance of the renovation of Štanjel, which she paid their debt to him with the gallery. knew well. This demanding project, involving consid- erable costs, met with significant public support and In the 1990s I was Slovenia's ambassador in Sarajevo. required close cooperation with the municipality of I was very keen for them to organise a major exhibition Sežana, the Gorica Museum, the Monument Protection of Lojze's work in this city that had suffered its own Institute in Nova Gorica and other Slovene institutions calvary and where culture has always been highly val- from the sphere of cultural heritage protection. The sup- ued. I discussed the exhibition in Sarajevo with the port and assistance of the Slovene government of the Gorica Museum, which was directed by Slavica time, or rather the republic executive council, headed Plahuta. We held the exhibition in September 1999 at by its president Dušan Šinigoj, was important. The proj- the largest gallery in Sarajevo, Collegium Artisticum. ect also required other important elements. We drew This event, which had a big impact in the city, was up a deed of gift by means of which Lojze donated 50 something outstanding, imbued with the public's paintings and 78 prints to the municipality of Sežana respect for the artist, who made the journey to Sarajevo on a permanent basis on behalf of the gallery. This was despite his advanced age and failing health. The open- formally confirmed by a public signing of the deed at ing of the exhibition, at which Zoran Kržišnik, the the town hall. It goes without saying that all the work director of the International Centre of Graphic Arts in relating to the gallery took place with Lojze's coopera- Ljubljana, and I talked about the artist, was attended by tion. He was on hand to deal with all the details, from a large number of people, including senior state repre- start to finish. sentatives and ambassadors and other members of the diplomatic corps in Sarajevo. Lojze was surprised to see We opened the gallery on 27 May 1988. The exhibition such a crowd. The people of Sarajevo received him was arranged and installed by the artist himself. The with the greatest respect. When the choir of the occasion was marked by the publication of a lavish cat- 'Cankar' Slovene cultural association in Sarajevo sang alogue to which commemorative prints were added. Prešeren's Pod oknom (Beneath the Window), Lojze Nelida Silič Nemec wrote about the artist and the whispered to me that his grandmother used to sing that gallery in a brochure specially prepared for the occa- song. Considerable attention was excited by a painting sion. On that beautiful warm May evening, the castle entitled Truce In Bosnia, created as a response to courtyard was full of guests invited by Ivan Vodopivec, Lojze's distress at the human suffering in Sarajevo when the mayor of Sežana, and me, as chairman of the gallery it was besieged during the war. committee. Guests came from all over Slovenia and from cultural and artistic circles in Trieste and included We saw each other for the last time at an exhibition at numerous Slovenes from across the border, local resi- the Moderna Galerija in Ljubljana in May 2000. There dents from Štanjel, and others. The evening ended as a Suzana and I, little suspecting that this was to be our great cultural festivity and a hymn to art. After the fan- last meeting, shook his hand for the last time. A few fares, the national anthem (sung by the combined choirs days later the sad news reached me in Sarajevo. I was

Življenjepis in bibliografija 45 profoundly saddened by the passing of this great artist Karst offered Spacal - an artist with a penetrating eye and friend. I went to my office and wrote a brief article and an extremely skilful hand, born of the local stone- about him, which appeared in Delo the following day. cutting tradition mentioned earlier and complemented I mentioned that we Karst people saw in his art some- by the knowledge of generations of peasant farmers, thing of ourselves, as a part of the landscape from who themselves manufactured and repaired the wood- which we came, from the Karst that Lojze loved and on en implements they needed - the desired means of which he impressed an immortal artistic image. Finally expression for the artistic depiction of his own world. I hosted a commemorative evening at the gallery in Via the sight, the most developed of the human senses Štanjel. During the final farewell I stood close to the and the one that offers us the most discoveries and artist's final resting place. I remembered that we had visions, the artist communicated the entirety of his once visited the cemetery in Škrbina, where he wished experiences and shaped his own unique artistic world. to be buried. Something he had once said to me came If we follow the development of Spacal's career, we can- to my mind: 'Drago, the Karst folk still exist.' not overlook an episode that occurred during his intern- ment: when a poor farmer ordered a coffin for his four- year-old daughter, Spacal, moved by the situation, offered to help and carefully painted the coffin for him. Zoran Kržišnik Surprised at how much attention his work attracted Lojze Spacal among those present, he considered this one of the essential, significant encounters of his art with a small public. This event left, or rather triggered in the artist a The world that is revealed by the paintings, prints, series of magical memories of his childhood and we sculptures and reflections of Lojze Spacal is the artist's soon come to a period - a cycle - referred to by connois- inner landscape, whose concept was delineated by his seurs and observers of Spacal's art as magic realism. life and experiences and which was increasingly puri- The number of objects to which unfulfilled childhood fied the more the artist's talent matured. This does not dreams are tied is not great: they include the mirror, a mean that the talent of the young artist was less, or that magical object in which one can capture at least a vision the works of his young adulthood could not achieve an of the uncatchable; likewise the chair or the oil lamp, equally high level. No. But talent, in an artist who has and also a vase of exotic flowers, sometimes a chest of it in great measure, in full measure, is always at the drawers or a garden statue. If we were to seek, on the service of the discoveries that life brings; and in the formal side, an influence on Spacal's artistic practice of case of a master artist who does not fade but rather the time, we would perhaps find it in his teacher, Pio ripens more and more, these discoveries become more Semeghini. The landscapes of his earlier period seem to profound and in their own way more simple, since they grow directly from his childhood memories; but even have rid themselves of the accidental elements imposed these landscapes were enclosed by a wall; the wall, that by the blur of youthful passions and concentrate on the classically irreplaceable element of the Karst landscape, permanent and the essential. The language with which would remain in the future one of the constantly repeat- Spacal's art tries to express itself has for decades con- ed themes of the man of the Karst, in very different real- sistently returned to the local language - in the figura- isations but also in various functions. tive sense: the forms and colours of the Karst from In this period of such strongly present magic, the wall which Spacal derived his origin began to speak more is a sobering element in the free flight of dreams; here and more; the colour of the landscape, rich in white we cannot avoid a comparison with the time when a stone, red earth, dark pine forests, brown wood, but cell wall limited the artist's physical freedom during his also the vivid blues of the sky, so much the more internment in southern Italy, and restricted him to a intense when it rises up above barren land; and the comparable space a few steps wide. Now this element shapes of rocks, haystacks, simply constructed houses, in its own special way encloses the little parcels of land, apparently clumsy agricultural implements smoothed but it is here that Spacal's great game as a descendant by long use. of Karst stonecutters begins. The three-dimensionality At first glance monotonous and barren, but on closer of the world is in his blood, his hand, his eye, and observation an incredibly rich treasury of vitally essen- therefore two-dimensional projection means for him an tial materials and forms, and essential colours, the additional magic. 46 Lojze Spacal From here on, no restriction can any longer prevent broad span of human horror, protest and hope. The him from occupying an ever wider space on the spread- artist's extraordinary feeling for all these injustices is ing plane; here he puts into effect and captures simul- now illustrated in an extremely simplified symbolic lan- taneously the inner and outer space, the present and guage that refuses all direct descriptiveness and with the beyond, and increasingly takes possession of the colour, verticals and horizontals alone declares its ver- outside, behind the wall, and the inside, within the dict, that wrath of full-blooded humanity and keen com- walls. All of this becomes all-pervading for him; it mitment that nevertheless does not forget the require- becomes his. This new game with space becomes an ment of artistic expression and therefore creates dis- increasingly conspicuous constant of Spacal's work. tinctive variants of artistic protest.

He populates his newly occupied space with specific Next came a cycle devoted to the city, urban develop- guests; a tabby cat like the curious captive of his tricks, ment, abandoned suburbs, poor districts, in which, as with birds as symbols of freedom, flying with spread Spacal himself stated, he felt a subconscious premoni- wings. The characteristic walls narrow, press in, and tion of the consumer age. then widen once again; sometimes they become fences His characteristic 'towns in the mirror' were created at or the encircling hills in the distant background. His a time when he was moving between his everyday artistic repertoire includes walls, sheds with rickety Trieste and his occasional home of Piran. With a walls, lights on slender, fragile stands, artificial flowers refined feeling for all the phenomena he observed dur- in a porcelain vase, papier-mâché fruit, the moon as a ing these visits; they include the unique suspended Chinese lantern… And yet it can be observed that all of boats in Savudrija and the saltpans with their windmill these magic worlds become less and less magical and sails; he was distancing himself from the earlier period, increasingly real. We then trace a significant period in which could be described as social realism, and com- which a network of parallel lines, verticals and jutting pleting a new phase of his artistic journey. Although diagonals falls across all of these magical images; the fairly self-contained, the work from this period also car- richness of colour so typical of this period begins to ries in it perceptions that could be categorised, particu- retreat in the face of seriousness, which brings black larly from the point of view of the interpretation of and a specific red - the colour of blood - into Spacal's towns, as a duality. On the one hand he is moved by artistic world. thoughtless urban planning and the inhumanity of All violence, in war as in peace, left deep traces in housing conditions and the vicinity of bare walls, or by Spacal as a man and as an artist. Although as a man of the harsh elements of fences or the attributes of gas- the Karst he is hard on himself, he does not wish to works, while on the other by the senseless luxury of dramatise the suffering that he himself experienced. As shop windows, which wakes an unquenchable con- an artist, however, with the deepest emotional involve- sumerist desire. Spacal was able to visualise this duali- ment, deriving from the feeling of solidarity of a suprap- ty in unique images that so powerfully mark the artist's ersonal and also supranational brotherhood, he makes feeling towards everything that surrounds him. a protest, a cry of resistance to such treatment, and A true son of the Karst, immediately afterwards his demonstrates the depth of his belief that this is the low- focus turned to the authentic Karst village, its court- est stage of dehumanisation, not of the victims but of yards, the peace that reigns there, and the rationality their executioners. In such cases he responds immedi- and orderliness of its environment. This transition is ately as an artist. A report of awakened human sav- especially interesting and it is not difficult to see that agery, of a fresh destruction of relations between almost everything that shaped the 'towns' cycle is human beings, a matter of life and death, of freedom expressed by the line, whereas in the Karst village the and servitude, causes him to react with the same plane comes to the fore, with every vertical firmly strength, the same directness whatever phase of cre- anchored in the ground; this shift led the artist towards ation he is in when the news reaches him. a form of creation that completely shaped his personal- These protests, linked to any kind of cruelty, are time- ity, his style, revealed and poeticised by an inner land- less and in Spacal know no continent or political posi- scape whose concept was outlined by his life and expe- tion. This is how he reacted in his immediate environ- riences to date, and whose expression was increasingly ment but also to events in far-off Chile. The whole of purified, as the artist's great talent matured with the this part of his oeuvre is characterised by the use of rel- passing years. atively meagre means. In these works he reveals the Življenjepis in bibliografija 47 Henceforth, Lojze Spacal would live this vision with his entire personality and build it up with all the charac- teristics of the Karst soil, its architecture and of course its inhabitants. The artistic language with which he Metka Gombač dominates all that surrounds him, the language of Spacal's art, returns throughout all these years to a Spacal's social and local language in the figurative sense: all his creations political engagement become increasingly simple and monumental. This sim- after the Second World War plicity, which is able to reach almost to the absolute, follows two objectives: it is the artist testing himself to see how far he can permit himself renunciation, reduc- tion, without losing the essence of that which he Lojze Spacal has left a profound mark on the intended to communicate. recent history of the Slovenes of Primorska: through And it is a verification of the sensuous impression that his work, through his personality and through his life. in Spacal, even in his most conceptual phase, is never- At the same time, his art has earned him a deserved theless the instigator of a translation into a unique artis- and lasting place in the collective memory of the tic language that deliberately renounces imitation of entire nation. His successes in the domestic and inter- external phenomena. And thus he constructs the land- national arenas allowed him to present himself, his scape of his internal vision on the basis of the elements nation and his birthplace to the world. The universal offered by the Karst, but transformed and simplified language of painting enabled him to become an into that essence that the artist can use for the elements ambassador for all the inhabitants of the northern of his image, which though it contains significance does Adriatic region and combine, in one person, the cul- not wish to tie itself to any kind of imitation of nature. tural, historical and civilisational characteristics of all The inner world of the artist's practice, the Karst of his the peoples who occupy the territory stretching from soul, is that which Spacal communicates in accordance the Soča to Istria. with his own concept, arranging shapes and colours, Like the majority of the region's population, this great where he constructs the image field so that in its basis Triestine Slovene was unable to escape history. He it appears to be a kind of plan, a two-dimensional pro- too was caught up in the recurrent historical turmoils jection of three-dimensional reality, seen from a distant of this important geostrategic crossroads. Imperialist height, which in reality only exists in the artist's vision. treatment of this region brought two world wars and The best way to gain a rapid understanding of the phe- caused untold suffering, above all to the civilian pop- nomenon of Spacal's art, his aura that so suggestively ulation. Having encountered the horrors of wartime dominates not only the border area of the Slovene- destruction for the first time as a boy, immediately Italian art scene, is to take a walk through his collection after the First World War, in war-ravaged Kostan- - the foundation at Štanjel. Just as Štanjel, because of its jevica, the village where his father was born, the position and its population, is a synonym for the Karst, burning of the Narodni Dom (the Slovene cultural so Lojze Spacal is a synonym for the artist who has centre) in Trieste in 1920 brought Spacal face to face grown up in the Karst, a special type of artist, deeply with Italian Fascism, which was making consistent rooted in his ancestral Slovene soil, vividly active in his efforts to "denationalise" the indigenous Slovene native Trieste, widely open to the world. Even today population. Spacal and an entire generation of young the burja blowing over the Karst carries us messages of Triestines began meeting in the Karst to sing Slovene the solid attachment of all people to this land where songs, yet there was no subversive intent to these history has placed us: to obey its order and create a bet- gatherings. Although four of them (Ferdo Bidovec, ter world of mutual knowledge and active coexistence. Zvonimir Miloš, Franc Marušič and Alojz Valenčič) Lojze Spacal lived this vision with his entire personali- were later executed at Bazovica, accused of planting a ty and his artistic sensitivity and co-created it with his bomb, these spontaneous gatherings had only one works. He is a unique herald, a poetic interpreter of this purpose: the preservation of their language, their cul- historically so richly artistically gifted part of Europe ture and their identity. In 1929 all of this was exploit- and a key co-shaper of its current artistic language. ed by the Fascists to carry out mass arrests and pros- ecutions of Slovenes. Spacal, too, earned himself his

48 Lojze Spacal first arrest and exile (internal) to Accetura, in south- between the victorious Allies and Yugoslavia on the ern Italy, an experience that marked him, like other one hand, and defeated Italy on the other. Following antifascists, forever. Spacal returned from Accetura an the liberation, he immediately joined those who were artist, for it was there that he had discovered his pas- calling for the unification of all Slovenes in a single sion for art. From his first amateur public artistic activ- State. Along with other activists from the Primorska ity, painting stayed with him his entire life. Even later, region, he began painting, photographing and docu- when he returned to his native Trieste after studying menting Slovene monuments and the roots of art in various Italian cities, the secret police did not Slovene ethnic presence in this territory. Everything leave him alone. His optimistic nature helped him sur- that these enthusiasts did in the months leading up to vive the Fascist oppression, but images of this suffer- the signing of the Treaty of Paris is conserved in a ing frequently crept into the motifs of his work. His great multitude of files kept by the Archive of the human distress at this situation is thematically con- Republic of Slovenia. densed in his works from this period and later. The question of the future borders of Slovenia preoc- The Second World War did not spare him either. The cupied Slovenes throughout the war, and there had execution of Pinko Tomažič and his comrades outside always been a great deal of interest in this issue along Villa Opicina in 1941, the burning of Branik, Komen the Ljubljana-Zagreb-Belgrade axis. For this reason, and other Karst villages in February 1944, the shoot- following the capitulation of Italy, the annexation of ing of 72 hostages in Villa Opicina in 1944, the hang- the Slovene Littoral to Slovenia was proclaimed, first ing of 52 hostages at the music school in Via Ghega in Slovenia (16 September 1943) and then in Jajce, in in Trieste in 1944, the concentration camp in the Bosnia (29 November 1943). Since everyone was Risiera di San Sabba (a former rice mill) in Trieste, aware that it would be necessary to fight for this the sending of prisoners to German camps, and Nazi proclamation in the international arena at the end of and Fascist violence against the civilian population: the war, in January 1944 the Slovene National all of these events marked him forever. He bore his Liberation Council, at that time the supreme political own woes with a strong will, but was never able to authority, founded a Scientific Institute in Kočevski accept the suffering of ordinary people. In the face of Rog. Under the aegis of the Institute, various experts the bloody oppression that affected relatives, friends, collected material about the borders. Historians, geog- acquaintances from youth associations and, indeed, raphers, lawyers, doctors, musicians, painters, engi- almost the whole of Trieste society, Spacal could not neers and other intellectuals, each according to their remain idle. Despite being under police surveillance, abilities, collaborated on preparations for the he made every effort to join the resistance movement inevitable diplomatic dispute that loomed at the end that was being conducted from a Slovene carpenter's of the war. With the liberation of the Slovene Littoral workshop in Trieste. Since both the Gestapo and the and Trieste, in other words the liberation of the whol- Italian political police were watching this workshop, ly Slovene hinterland and the ethnically mixed towns this almost cost him detention in the Risiera concen- of Trieste, Gorizia, Monfalcone, Koper, Izola and tration camp. It was only through the intervention of Piran, the last word had still not been spoken with a prominent Triestine who admired his art that he regard to the postwar destiny of this area, and uncer- managed to avoid this fate. tainty over whether it would belong to one State or the other was to last another decade. Spacal emerged from these cruel war years an artiste engagé, an activist in the cause of peace and the coex- In May 1945, when the Scientific Institute moved to istence of the different peoples of his native region. Ljubljana, the Trieste and Gorizia branches joined it in Following the defeat of Nazism and Fascism in 1945, its work. The awareness that the state of tension had he offered his services to the victors in the sphere not eased, and that the front between Italy and where he was best able to help. He placed his brush Yugoslavia was still active, united the participants in and his camera at the service of Slovene aspirations the scientific process and forced them to cooperate, for national unification in a single country, a desire since they had to convince international experts and that had been present in Trieste ever since 1848, and diplomats that the border agreed in Rapallo in 1920 joined other experts in the process of raising aware- was unfair and based not on ethnic arguments but on ness of the indigenous Slovene presence in an area political considerations.1 which had become the subject of peace negotiations

Življenjepis in bibliografija 49 To this end the Scientific Institute in Ljubljana, in con- departments and commissions, along with the work junction with the Institute for the Study of of the other authorities, had a profound impact on the International Questions at the Ministry of Foreign established administration in the region. Measures, Affairs in Belgrade and the Adriatic Institute in Sušak, ordinances and laws derived from the reformatory prepared several studies on the national and ethno- spirit of a new society. In the opinion of the reform- graphic picture of the Slovene Littoral and Istria ers, it was the mistakes of the past that had led to the before 1918, several papers on the Italian denational- horrors of the Second World War, and it was there- isation policy from the Soča to Snežnik and from fore quite understandable that people should accept Rijeka to Lastovo between 1918 and 1941, details of these attempts at reform with a good deal of under- the Italian attack on Yugoslavia in 1941 and the war standing. A combination of circumstances meant that crimes committed in the annexed Ljubljana and Rijeka the Provincial NLC only held full governing authority provinces between 1941 and 1943, and copious data from 1 May 1945 to 12 June 1945. Following the on Italian collaboration with the Germans in the bru- signing of the Belgrade Agreement (9 May 1945), it tal reprisals in Istria and the Slovene Littoral. After the was stripped of its governing function and became a end of the war it became clear both to politicians and mere advisory body, directing all its efforts towards to the population at large that the determination of the struggle for the incorporation of the Slovene the new border would not be decided by, for exam- Littoral and Trieste into Yugoslavia.3 ple, the fact that the Provincial National Liberation The leaders of the Provincial NLC understood that Committee for the Slovene Littoral (the Provincial solid diplomatic experience would prevail, and that in NLC) had controlled the whole of the Slovene Littoral, except the major towns, from September the marketplace of international argumentation, 1944, or that on 1 May 1945 units of the Yugoslav knowledge and technical evidence would weigh more army had defeated German and Italian forces and lib- than popular activism. For this reason, during the erated the entire territory of the Julian March. summer of 1945, the Provincial NLC passed a reso- Furthermore, some decisions of the Allies such as the lution on the foundation of a Study Section, the run- expulsion of Yugoslav forces from Trieste, Gorizia and ning of which was entrusted to Dušan Rybař, Boris Monfalcone in June, and the establishment of two Zajc, Roman Pahor and Angel Kukanja. In collabora- parallel administrations - the Allied Military tion with the Department for Border Issues in Administration for Zone A and the Military Ljubljana, headed by Lojze Ude, and the Institute for Administration of the Yugoslav Army for Zone B of the Study of International Questions in Belgrade, the former Julian March - suggested that at the peace headed by Fran Zwitter, the Section, along with its conference the Allies were going to favour Italian experts and collaborators, threw itself into the prepa- interests over Slovene aspirations with regard to the ration of the reports, brochures, books and other Slovene Littoral and Trieste. These aspirations were material created in 1945 and 1946 as evidence of the represented in the Slovene Littoral by the Provincial justifiability of claims for the unification of the NLC.2 This was the highest administrative authority Slovene Littoral with the mother country. One of the in the province and at the same time a political pillar first important tasks of the Study Section, besides the of the new system based on the rule of the people amassing of a great variety of data and regular propa- and a socialist ideology. A month after the liberation, ganda work, was the collection of signatures in favour the Provincial NLC, with the provisional permission of the incorporation of the Slovene Littoral into of the Allies, began governing the territory from Yugoslavia. This signature campaign, which took Postojna to Trieste and from Bovec to the mouth of place in late August 1945, could be categorised as a the Soča (the Isonzo), thus announcing in the most plebiscitary exercise designed to demonstrate, serious way possible its presence in the Gulf of through weight of numbers, the will of the inhabitants Trieste. The new government brought with it much with regard to the national affiliation of this territory. that was new and beneficial, both in the economic The collecting of signatures throughout the Slovene sphere and in the spheres of social security, health, Littoral and Trieste was done rapidly: within six days culture and education, although owing to the brief the organisers had collected approximately 220,000 duration of this period many plans remained in the signatures. The Yugoslav delegates at the meeting of embryonic phase. All of these changes and the refor- matory work of the Provincial NLC, its sections, the Council of Foreign Ministers in London in the

50 Lojze Spacal autumn of 1945 presented these signatures as one of cal/documentary nature, intended for the boundary the proofs of the plebiscitary decision of the popula- experts and, of course, prepared in time for the tion of the Julian March. One of the resolutions of the demarcation negotiations in Paris. meeting in London was the decision to appoint an The period of the preparations for the arrival of the international boundary commission of experts to international boundary commission also saw the plan- study the true situation on the ground in Primorska, ning and organisation of two exhibitions. The first to collect data on the Slovene, Croat and Italian pop- was designed to show the achievements of the nation- ulations of the zone, and to prepare a proposal for the al liberation struggle in the Julian March and Trieste, drawing of the border between the two States. The while the second covered ethnology, geography, his- basic criteria were also agreed: for the most part the tory and economy. The exhibited material consisted border should coincide with the ethnic border. There of objects and photographs demonstrating the extent now followed, from October 1945 to June 1946, a of Slovene settlement from the beginnings of Slovene period of extraordinarily intensive work both in presence in this area.5 Naturally the preparation of Trieste and in Ljubljana and Belgrade. Everyone was these exhibitions also involved intensive cooperation getting ready for the arrival of the international between Trieste, Gorizia and Ljubljana. We learn from boundary commission, which reached Trieste at the a brief note sent by the Study Section to the Press beginning of March 1946. Office in Ljubljana that in late January 1946 Lojze Spacal brought three photographs of Barkovlje to October 1945 saw the start of a campaign to docu- Pfeifer in Ljubljana for processing, and that these were ment the natural and local beauties of the Trieste and intended for the historical/ethnographic exhibition.6 Gorizia areas. By order of the Press Office of the National Government of Slovenia, the painter Lojze The editor of Primorski dnevnik, Stanislav Renko, then Spacal and the photographer Marjan Pfeifer began selected material for the exhibition designed to present photographing natural and local sights of interest in the national liberation struggle in Primorska and Istria, the Trieste and Gorizia areas and notable examples of and took it to Belgrade, where it was incorporated into popular culture within the borders of Zone A. As can the exhibition on the struggle of the Yugoslav peoples be made out from the documents of the study section that took place in Paris between 19 June and 15 July for the Gorizia area, the painter Lojze Spacal (as men- 1946. The exhibition was held at the Théâtre des tor), the photo-reporter Marjan Pfeifer, and Ludvik Ambassadeurs and accompanied by a brochure con- Zorzut, an expert on the places and people of the taining numerous motifs from the Slovene Littoral. Gorizia area, set off on their journey through Goriška Section II of the Archive of the Republic of Slovenia 7 Brda and other localities on 19 and 20 October contains a poster advertising this exhibition. 1945.4 Their journey led them across the Brda hills The most important contribution of the Trieste Study and Vrhovlje into the valley of the Soča, across Kanal, Section was without a doubt its collaboration on the Čiginj, Volče, Kobarid, Bovec and on to Trenta, back formulation of the Memorandum of the Provincial to Plave, and to Sveta Gora passing Solkan and NLC, the aim of which was to persuade the interna- Gorizia. The emphasis was above all on folk and tional public that the Slovene Littoral was part of ethnographic curiosities that could be considered Slovenia. The Memorandum contained historical and characteristic of the Slovenes. The photographer's ethnographic data, photographs, maps and other lens captured houses, wells, individual items, individ- extremely valuable material that was supposed to ual people, and the mountain world, the "paradise" serve as a basis to help people elsewhere understand of the poet Simon Gregorčič, around Kobarid and that the Slovene nation was a historic nation. "This Bovec, all the way to Trenta and the highest mountain Memorandum was handed to the Inter-Allied peaks. They also prepared photographs for the Karst, Boundary Commission by the Provincial NLC for the Istria and the Vipava area. They also delivered their Slovene Littoral and Trieste" - this statement, in collected photographs to the Press Office in Ljubljana, Slovene, Croatian and Italian, appears on the first so that they would be available both to the depart- page of the Memorandum which a delegation of the ments in Trieste and Gorizia and to the Department Provincial NLC, headed by France Bevk, handed to for Border Issues in Ljubljana. The photographs were the members of the international boundary commis- also used in the preparation of the various books, sion in March 1946 in Trieste. The full series consist- brochures and reports, most of them of a histori- ed of three parts: the first part of the Memorandum Življenjepis in bibliografija 51 contained a map of the Julian March with ethno- ment.10 In December 1946 a decree of the Presidency graphic and economic sections; the second contained of the Provincial NLC for the Slovene Littoral and a presentation of the struggle of the inhabitants of the Trieste appointed Lojze Spacal president of the Julian March for freedom and the right to self-deter- Commission for the Erection of National Monu- mination; the third part contained information on the ments.11 province and the peoples living there. The publication At the end of May 1946, when the work and the focus was accompanied by 93 pictures and drawings. All the of attention shifted to Paris, the work of the Study sections consisted of individual sheets inserted into Section diminished considerably, and by the end of the closed folders with hard covers. A selection was made year had ended altogether. An extraordinary period from this extensive material for the Memorandum that both for Slovene science and culture and for contem- the delegation submitted to the boundary commission. porary Slovene politics was over. Following the dra- The Memorandum was also translated into English, matic events of 1945 and 1946, the Treaty of Paris was French and Russian and submitted to the Council of signed on 10 February 1947. Part of Primorska was Foreign Ministers in Paris in May 1946.8 incorporated into Italy (Val Canale, Slavia Veneta, Once the boundary commission had completed its Resia, Gorizia and part of Goriška Brda/Collio); work on the ground and left to begin preparing its another part went to Yugoslavia; and a third part went report for the meeting of the Council of Foreign to the newly established Free Territory of Trieste. Ministers in Paris (25 April to 16 May 1946), the Provincial NLC decided to send a delegation of Primorska Slovenes to Paris with a great variety of Notes: material to try and convince the French public and the 1 The Scientific Institute of the Presidency of the Slovene National Liberation Council was founded on 12 January 1944 and was based in Rog. Its president world in general that this area was inhabited by was Dr Fran Zwitter. For more on this see: France Škerl, "Znanstveni inštitut", Slovenes and Croats as well as by Italians. The dele- Zgodovinski časopis, Ljubljana, vol. XIX-XX, 1965-66, pp. 31-61. gation set off for Paris in late April 1946. It consisted 2 Metka Gombač has written about the Regional NLC in her book Pokrajinski NOO za Slovensko primorje in Trst 1944-1947, Ljubljana 2003. of representatives of Slovenes, Croats from Istria and 3 The Belgrade Agreement dividing the Julian March into two occupation zones Italians, and was led by the writer France Bevk, the was signed by the Yugoslav Government and the Governments of the Allied Powers on 9 June 1945. Zone A, with its centre in Trieste, was taken over by chairman of the Provincial NLC. All were very active the Allied Military Administration, while Zone B, with its centre in Ajdovščina, in forging personal contacts, in organising press con- was assigned to the Military Administration of the Yugoslav Army. ferences and in promoting their views. They distrib- 4 AS 1816 District NLC for the Gorizia District, box 10. 5 The international boundary commission was appointed in September 1945 at uted brochures and reports printed in various lan- the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in London. The job of the com guages, they published a newsletter in which they mission was to inspect the situation on the ground and then determine the reported on conditions in the Julian March, they border. Between 7 March and 5 April 1946 the members of the commission visited localities in the two zones of the Julian March and then prepared explained and demonstrated their positions with boundary demarcation proposals. regard to all current issues relating to Slovenes and 6 AS 1818 Regional NLC for the Slovene Littoral and Trieste, box 56. 7 Metka Gombač, "Razstava v Parizu", Glasnik ZRS Koper, No 3 (The Treaty Croats in this territory. The French compromise pro- of Paris), Koper 1997. posal still left some hope with regard to Gorizia, 8 Vlasta Beltram, "Spomenici", Glasnik ZRS Koper, No 3 (The Treaty of Paris), Goriška Brda (the Brda/Collio hills) and Monfalcone Koper 1997. 9 AS 1818 Regional NLC for the Slovene Littoral and Trieste, box 13/II (Tržič), so in July 1946 Dr Fran Zwitter, the expert his- and box 1/IV. torian present at the negotiations in Paris, requested 10 AS 1818 Regional NLC for the Slovene Littoral and Trieste, box 56. 11 AS 1818 Regional NLC for the Slovene Littoral and Trieste, box 10. the Gorizia Study Section to prepare data and maps for the city of Gorizia and for Goriška Brda.9

During its period of greatest activity - before and after the arrival of the international boundary commission - the Study Section in Trieste employed 14 people. The Section was also known at this time as the Institute for the Study of the Julian March in Trieste. A surviving letter from this period, dated 18 May 1946, tells us that Lojze Spacal was relieved of his duties at the Cultural Commission and appointed rap- porteur of the historical and ethnographic depart-

52 Lojze Spacal Lara Štrumej decorators, in inns, shops, at the shipyard and bakery Biography made the life of his family easier. He particularly liked working in the bakery. He made bread deliveries with a donkey. Together with children of his age from other poor 1907 families he stole charcoal from trains and sold it until one Lojze Spacal was born on 15 June 1907 in Trieste in of his companions lost both his legs in an accident. As an an attic room of the house at Rossetti Street No. 20, a apprentice at the shipyard he discussed social injustices prestigious address at the time. He was the oldest of three and national oppression. He attended the meetings of the children of Marija, née Novak, and Andrej Spacal, both socialist circle at St James', deepening his anti-fascist opin- from Kostanjevica na Krasu. His mother was a laundress ions and establishing connections with other individuals and his father a stonecutter. His father at first worked in who shared his views about antifascist activities. the Aurisina quarries and later, after he lost his job, as a mason in Trieste. 1923-25 He was founder and president of Zarja Youth Society 1910 in Roiano. He was also a founding member of many His sister Dragica was born. Little Lojze spent many other Slovene youth societies in Tomaj, Pliskovica and happy days with his grandparents in Kostanjevica. He other villages. These societies organised meetings, short never forgot the many colourful images of saints on glass, theatre performances and trips to the mountains, during works by different self-taught rural craftsmen, which his which Slovene was spoken and Slovene songs were pious ancestors, including his grandmother, had brought sung. Because of his anti-fascist Slovene patriotic senti- from various pilgrimages. Perched on a high bed, he ments he was prosecuted by the fascist authorities and admired these images fixed on the white walls of his consequently imprisoned and exiled. grandmother's room with their blue, red and yellow colours glistening in the sunrays that penetrated the half- 1925-27 closed shutters. Although the fascists abolished all youth societies, they could not prevent young people from continuing 1912 their work. Spacal joined the most rebellious group con- His sister Ana was born. sisting of Ferdo Bidovec, Zvonimir Miloš, Alojz Valenčič and Franjo Marušič. 1914 After war broke out, his father was called up to serve 1929 in the army. Soon afterwards he died of typhoid. The life When the fascists arrested Bidovec, Miloš, Valenčič of the already impoverished Spacal family became even and Marušič, Spacal tried to avoid arrest by escaping to harder after the father's death. The mother and children Switzerland. At first he hid at the home of his uncle moved from the attic apartment in Rossetti Street to the Anton, who had been transferred as a railwayman to suburbs of Trieste, to a small house in Lloyd Street, now Lombardy near the Swiss border. From there he tried to Campi Elisi. Not long after the father's death, Spacal's sis- make it over to Switzerland with police close behind him, ter Ana died. The mother had Lojze educated at the but he was caught at the border and sent to the infamous Slovene primary school of Sts Cyril and Methodius at St Regina Coeli prison in Rome. There, he spent two James' church in Trieste. Despite the fact that the school months in solitary confinement, waiting for the trial. The was new and beautiful, he did not remember it fondly. artist often said that he began thinking about painting He could not forget the bitter encounters with his teach- while in prison. Then he and some other prisoners were ers who often resorted to corporal punishment. He sent to Trieste, where he was held in captivity for anoth- would have preferred to attend the Italian school where er few months. Despite a lack of evidence, on 12 June his friends were educated. 1930 the Trieste authorities exiled him to southern Italy, to the village of Accettura in the Basilicata province. 1918 Because his mother had difficulties providing for the 1930-32 family, Lojze decided to quit school and contribute to the In order to survive his exile, as well as financially family's livelihood with earnings from odd jobs. He was assist his mother and sister, he took up various jobs proud that his modest earnings from working for interior including photography. He asked his family to send him

Življenjepis in bibliografija 53 the old Leica camera that his uncle Anton had given him. ly from Poreč, and others. These teachers instilled dis- He immediately set to work. He photographed weddings, tinctly modern aesthetic tendencies in their students. communions, confirmations, funerals, various traditions During his studies he supported himself with odd jobs: as and festivals, and he portrayed the locals. He quickly a substitute teacher at different schools, as a photogra- gained their trust. He converted his modest rented room pher and in other ways. He had decided to study in into a darkroom. But as an exile he soon lost his pho- Monza because he was hoping to secure employment at tographer's licence and was forced to surrender his busi- the Trieste shipyard, where interior decorators were ness to a local man. Disappointed, he found new employ- needed to furnish transatlantic ships. He soon began to ment and income in the nearby carpenter's shop, where cooperate with the well-known Trieste ship decorator he painted coffins. Because of a malaria epidemic, the Gustavo Pulitzer, who had worked with Avgust Černigoj. carpenters were busy making coffins, many of which He studied privately at the Brera Academy in Milan, were intended for children. Out of compassion for a where he mingled with the Corrente movement, which deceased four-year old and her poor parents, and per- comprised most painters in Lombardy. Among them, he haps also because of his memories of his own departed was greatly influenced by Arnaldo Badodi, Renato Birolli little sister, Spacal, who was a carpenter's assistant, dec- and Renato Gatuso. orated a coffin for the little girl, despite the fact that her Spacal designed the cover of the book entitled Vesele parents could afford only the simplest coffin. Decorated zgodbe (Merry Stories), published by Goriška matica with butterflies and flowers, the coffin attracted general (Unione editoriale Goriziana). Illustrations for the book admiration. The artist continued to decorate coffins in were contributed by several other artists. exchange for oil and wheat and gradually he gained even the respect of the local authorities. But the realisation 1937 that his life mission was painting, which was born while His first participation in a group exhibition of Trieste doing this work, was more valuable to young Spacal than artists held in Trieste. the reputation he enjoyed among the villagers. Therefore during his exile he studied for his matriculation exam at 1938 the Venice art lyceum. In May he met his future wife Milojka Vodopivec at a On 17 September he was allowed to return home, Slovene youth gathering in Livek. finally arriving in Trieste in October after a long journey. 1939 1936 After three years of studies he returned to Trieste and The certificate of the Venice art lyceum, where he supported himself by drawing textile patterns. He passed a private matriculation exam, bears the date 23 explored various techniques from intarsia, cut, stained October 1936. Soon afterwards he passed a qualifying and etched glass, different fabrics, lace, book design, exam in drawing in Rome. poster and fresco. Occasionally he taught at various vocational second- He designed the cover of the book Osemnajst velikih ary schools and at the teacher's college in Trieste. He (Eighteen Great Ones) by Andrej Budal, published by was a substitute teacher because he could not obtain reg- Goriška matica (Unione editoriale Goriziana). His name ular employment due to his "suspicious" political past is given here as S. Spacal (Slavko Spacal). and because he was not a member of the fascist party. He was not comfortable with his role as a teacher as he was 1940 convinced that an artist should concentrate fully on his At Jerco Hall, where dances were held, he secretly pre- mission. pared his first exhibition, introducing himself to the Trieste He was friends with Pino Tomažič and his sister Dani, public with linocuts and monotypes, some of which were with whom he often went on biking trips as we learn from bought by Slovene intellectuals. A short text in the bilin- the novel Newlyweds from Rossetti Street by Fulvio gual Slovene-Italian invitation was written by Vladimir Tomizza. But this lasted only until police arrested Pino on 2 Milett. In the invitation, the artist called himself both June 1940. He was sentenced to death in December 1941. Slavko Spacal (Slovene) and Luigi Spacal (Italian). He Spacal enrolled at the decorative art institute in Monza said that his oil paintings were a substitute for a child's (Instituto Superiore Artistico per l'Arte Decorativa di dream that he was denied during his bitter childhood, Monza). He studied under Profs Semeghini, De Grada, whereas critics labelled them as "fantastic realism". Later Pica, the architect Pagano (Pogačnik), who was original- they were classified as works of magic realism.

54 Lojze Spacal He designed the furnishings of the ships the Oceania drawing. After his release he was arrested again in Trieste and the Neptunia. For each, he made eight decorative and sent to a labour battalion in Sarzano, Tuscany, where wooden panels. The panels of the Neptunia featured he was enlisted and transferred to Forte de Marmi near vedute - large scale cityscapes - of eight Italian cities. Viareggio. There he met his former teacher Pagano, who was a reserve colonel. A socialist, Pagano supplied 1941 Spacal with illegal literature, including the socialist bul- He made a decorative panel for the ship the Saturnia. letin Avanti. He also allowed Spacal to spend several hours every day working on his art. But the good rela- 1942 tions between the Italian army colonel and Slovene exile In February he held an exhibition at Galleria della were exposed and Spacal was transferred to Ceccina in Permanente in Milan together with six other artists from southern Italy, where he stayed until the capitulation of Trieste: the painters Riccardo Bastianutto, Avgust fascist Italy. While in confinement, he read Italian litera- Černigoj, Adolfo Levier, Maria Lupieri and Anita Pittoni, ture, particularly works by Massimo Bontempelli, and and the sculptor Ugo Carà. Spacal had already met also poetry by Federico García Lorca. Černigoj before the war, but later they maintained a spe- cial relationship of friendly competition. The renowned 1943 art critic Agnoldomenico Pica wrote about the exhibition On 10 May his son Savo was born in Dornberk. Until in the Milan art magazine Domus. He illustrated his arti- the end of the war, his wife remained with the child in cle with a whole-page colour print of a painting by Dornberk, where her mother and sister Zdenka both Spacal. His favourable interest in Spacal's work helped look after him. During this time Spacal lived at expressed in one of the leading Italian specialised art Cassala Street No. 81 in Trieste, where he probably also magazines opened the door of general art circles to the had his studio. artist. He began to send his works to various group and national exhibitions in Rome, Turin, Florence and 1944 Venice. On 20 January Spacal's first major solo exhibition Spacal was friends with Anita Pittoni; the painter opened at Galleria d'arte "Al Corso" in Trieste. In helped him sell his paintings in Milan and he met the autumn he held a solo exhibition at the gallery Il Milione writer Giani Stuparich among her friends. in Milan. According to Boris Pahor, the first exhibition He made etched glass with naval motifs for the deco- was particularly important for patriotic Slovenes in ration of the interior of the admiral's ship the Roma and Trieste, because "… in January 1944 Slovene under- the warship the Vittorio Veneto. There were twenty ground activists passed secret messages about meetings square pieces of glass in the salons of the Roma and to one another at Spacal's exhibition on the corso in three round ones aboard the Vittorio Veneto. Trieste…", whereas the second drew the attention of The priest Bernardin Godnič commissioned him to Italian art critics. paint fresco and sgrafitto murals for the renovated interi- He and his family moved to Sara Davis Street in or of the church of St George's in Gradno pri Kojskem, Roiano but he kept his studio in Trieste. Goriška Brda. He enjoyed making the murals and, according to Fran Šijavec, soon after he completed them 1945 the artist admitted that he preferred frescoes to all other Together with the architects Zorko Lah and Franjo techniques and that he felt like a true painter only when Kosovel he cooperated with the Liberation Front. Spacal he was standing dressed in a worker's overalls in front of and Kosovel were also members of the Liberation Front a bare wall. monument protection committee. Members of this com- On 18 April he married Milojka Vodopivec of mittee travelled to villages where locals wished to erect a Dornberk, Vipavska Dolina. She was from a patriotic monument to the local victims of the war. They supplied family of Slovene teachers and was a teacher herself. general advice, helped select the most appropriate loca- Slovene students from Gorizia and Trieste gathered at tion and assisted with the revision of mostly already com- their warm home in Dornberk and set out on moun- pleted plans. taineering trips together. After the war, Spacal presented his works at a group Soon afterwards he was arrested and sent to the exhibition of artists from the Littoral at Galleria d'arte "Al prison camp at the Corropoli monastery in Abruzzi. He Corso" in Trieste and at a group exhibition of artists from spent several months there, during which he did a lot of Trieste at Jakopič Pavilion in Ljubljana. As a political exile

Življenjepis in bibliografija 55 he had long been without a passport, so this was his first 1948 trip to Ljubljana. He met Oton Župančič and Prežihov His first participation at the Venice Biennial; he exhib- Voranc. Later he met and frequently visited Stane Kregar, ited four linocuts from 1945-47 at the Italian Pavilion. Maksim Sedej and Marij Pregelj, with whom he discussed He contributed a drawing for the cover of a volume of art. He exchanged drawings with Sedej and Pregelj. After short stories Moj tržaški naslov (My Address in Trieste) the war he rediscovered the Karst, a region that he loved by Boris Pahor, which was published by Gregorčičeva in his childhood. He collected folk artefacts, images on založba in Trieste. glass, wooden statues and majolicas. He claimed that of all the things that he had seen and appreciated, he felt 1949 most closely connected with folk art. He financed the publication of his first monograph. He and Marijan Pfeifer were authorised by the Press The Slovene edition featured a text by Boris Pahor and Office of the Ministry of the Slovene National the Italian by Marcello Paoli. The monograph was sold Government to create a photographic record of natural, at the Štoka bookshop in Trieste and at the artist's studio. ethnographic and cultural sites in the Trieste and Gorizia He participated in the artistic design of the exhibition region of Zone A. On 19 and 20 October the painter and Economic Activities of the Yugoslav Zone in the Trieste photographer, accompanied by Ludvik Zorzut, travelled Territory, which was set up in Koper. He designed the to Friuli Venezia Giulia and shot several rolls of film with ninth pavilion, which was dedicated to fishery and salt a Leica. Over a hundred photographs are preserved. making. He used enlarged prints of his photographs of They were printed at the photographic department of the fishing nets, boats in Savudrija and other shots. He made Press Office of the Presidency of Slovene National and decorated several plaster consoles, decorated panels Government. Their attribution remains unclear. with shallow colour reliefs and designed posters for vari- Gregorčičeva založba in Trieste published a play in ous companies: Radiofonija, Bor, Riba, Arrigoni, Fructus, three acts entitled Svet brez sovraštva (World without Zadružna mlekarna. Posters were also designed by other Hatred) by Mira Mihelič; the cover was designed by participating artists, of whom the following are known Spacal. today: Avgust Černigoj, Robert Hlavati, Rudolf Saksida, Avrelij Lukežič, Jože Cesar and Avgust Andrej Bucik. The 1946 architect Franjo Kosovel also participated in the project. He held a solo exhibition at Galleria d'arte Trieste. Apart from a text by Giuseppe Marchiori, the tiny cata- 1949-52 logue features a text written by the artist about his work, He held several exhibitions at the Scorpione Gallery entitled "Moje naziranje" (My Views). in Trieste, either together with Slovene artists in Trieste Gregorčičeva založba, Trieste, published two books or on his own. with his illustrations. He contributed twenty black and white illustrations for the book Triglavov polet (Triglav's 1950 Flight) by Oskar Hudales and the cover and twelve black He presented his works at the Exhibition of Paintings and white illustrations for the book Mladec Dragožit. and Graphic Prints by Trieste Artists at the Museum of Zgodovinska povest za mladino (Young Dragožit: A Modern Art in Ljubljana. Historical Tale for Young Readers) by Venceslav Winkler. He designed the cover of Jadranski koledar (Adriatic 1951 Calendar). He financed the publication of a portfolio of twenty woodcuts and linocuts with a Slovene text by France 1947 Stele and an Italian text by Giuseppe Marchiori. On 21 December his second son Borut was born in Trieste. The family moved from Roiano to Opicina, 1952 Conconello Street No. 41, but he still kept his studio in He contributed several vignettes for Jadranski koledar Trieste, finally setting it up at Coroneo Street No. 1 after (Adriatic Calendar); the publication also features repro- the war. Until Spacal became well-established as an artist, ductions of Spacal's nine graphic prints and five draw- the family relied on his wife Milojka's salary, who ings. worked as a teacher at the Opicina primary school. They He contributed a drawing for the first volume of col- lived there until 1963 when they moved to Trieste, lected essays entitled Stvarnost in svoboda (Reality and Venezia Square No. 4. Freedom). 56 Lojze Spacal 1953 Yugoslav art scene for the artist. In the same year, He received an award for a graphic print at the 3rd Slovene critics wrote about him extensively: both Zoran International Biennial of Contemporary Visual Art in Sao Kržišnik and Emilijan Cevc in Naša sodobnost (Our Paolo. Times) magazine and Edvard Ravnikar in Arhitekt He made a carved panel for Banca di Napoli at (Architect) magazine. The exhibition opened the evening Palazzo comunale in Trieste. before the 1st International Biennial of Graphic Art at the He provided the artistic design for the second volume Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana. Spacal participated of collected essays, Stvarnost in svoboda (Reality and in the Biennial and received an award from the Kmečka Freedom); for the cover he used the same drawing as for knjiga publishing house. He participated in all the the first volume. Ljubljana Graphic Art Biennials until 1999, always as part of the Italian section. 1954 He designed a glass mosaic entitled Rural Allegory for He held a solo exhibition at the Museum of Arts and the the Glavna zadružna zveza (Main Cooperative Crafts in Zagreb and at the Gallery of Fine Arts in Rijeka. Association) building located at Tito Street (today He painted a fresco of the sea at the First of May Slovenska Street) No. 41 in Ljubljana. Stadium in Trieste, a building by Edo Mihevc. During In October he visited Paris and met Veno Pilon. He renovation in 1997 the already paint-stained fresco only stayed in the art metropolis until January, however. received significant damage, but it was restored with the He saw it as decadent and he missed the Karst and its artist's permission the following year, so it still adorns the Bora winds. Later he often travelled to Paris and visited wall as it did originally. Pilon, who surprised him with his simple lifestyle. Spacal was one of the founders of the Ljubljana When architect Edo Mihevc created the interior deco- International Biennial of Graphic Art; the first exhibition rating of the Figovec Inn in Ljubljana, he used both orig- was planned for the following year. inal graphic prints by Spacal and enlarged prints of his He bought a house in Punta, Piran, in the immediate other graphic works to cover the walls, as well as a fab- vicinity of a church on the seashore. The house was ren- ric designed by the artist for the curtains and the uphol- ovated by his friend, the architect Edo Mihevc. By taking stery of the chairs and benches. into account the local architectural tradition and the In the mid-1950s Spacal and his wife travelled to artist's own participation, Mihevc created a picturesque Macedonia. The artist was a member of a committee coastal atmosphere. The artist lived and worked several evaluating the local cultural heritage. His appointed driv- months a year at the renovated house with a terrace er took him to visit several places, of which he was par- offering a splendid view of the Savudrija peninsula, ticularly impressed by the old monasteries in the Lake Strunjan, Trieste, Duino and Grado across the Bay of Ohrid area. The local medieval architecture, landscape Trieste. From there he often went to Savudrija and and culture in general fascinated him. Later he often said Sečovlje, where he observed fishermen and salt makers that his experience of the Macedonian landscape had at work, worked on his drawings and took photographs. influenced his rediscovery of the Karst. He organised exhibitions of his works and various recep- tions in his new home, but only until the 1970s, when 1956 he renovated an old farmstead in Škrbina in the Karst He participated in the seventh Quadriennale of Rome area. By then, mass tourism had already spoiled the orig- and received the award of the city of Rome, the Premio inal atmosphere in Piran. Gradually he stopped going to Cittá di Roma. His success did not go unnoticed: The that ancient town altogether. Gallery of Modern Art in Rome purchased his painting Spacal's preserved letters to Mihevc from 1954 speak Sunset in Savudrija, while the Swedish gallery owner of their friendship and confidence; the artist entrusted and art dealer Selikowitz of Stockholm purchased forty- Mihevc with the management of the funds in his bank two paintings and eight wooden sculptures and set up account in Slovenia. several exhibitions of Spacal's art in Sweden. Spacal worked for him for two years; he was supposed to send 1955 him another forty oil paintings. He held his first large solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana; he exhibited paintings, graph- 1957 ic prints and sculptures. The exhibition was a revelation He exhibited at Rive Gauche gallery in Paris and intro- for the Slovene artistic circles and a breakthrough on the duced himself to the French public with a television interview.

Življenjepis in bibliografija 57 Lojze Spacal and Zoran Mušič were invited to exhibit Cooperation with neighbouring Italy and with Forma at the Bavarian National Museum in Munich. Spacal Viva of Portorož was planned, as well as the founding of exhibited some 120 graphic prints from 1937-1957, an international school of graphic art and subsequently a whereas Mušič chose to present 25 of his graphic prints. graphic art publishing house. At the 29th Venice Biennial he exhibited eight wood- cuts with Karst motifs and received the prestigious Grand 1963 Prix for drawing and graphic art. Spacal and his family moved from Opicina to Trieste, He also received the top award at the 1st Triennial of to a narrow house with three floors at Venezia Square Colour Graphic Art in Grechen, Switzerland. No. 4. On the top floor he set up a new studio and He exhibited at the Göteborgs Konsthall and spent moved his equipment from Coroneo Street, where his several months working in Sweden. His works were sold studio had been based for many years. Despite interna- by the art dealer Selikowitz. tional recognition and fame, he remained a simple, hard- working and disciplined man, quiet and restrained, and 1958 completely dedicated to his work. The architect Edo Mihevc again sought his coopera- Spacal was greatly respected as an interior decorator tion: this time Spacal designed the decoration of pillars of ships by the naval industries of Trieste and Italy in gen- in the Hotel Palace in Ohrid, Macedonia; he opted for eral. He won the public tender to furnish the transatlantic carved-wood decorations. ship the Eugenio C; he designed a tapestry called Enchanted City for the first class salon. His tapestry 1959 designs were brought to life by weavers in Novi Sad, He won the public tender to furnishing the transat- whom he trusted and greatly respected. lantic ship the Leonardo da Vinci. He made three large He made a wooden collage for the lunette in the lobby wooden panels for the first class restaurant. The panels of the renovated Tartini Theatre in Piran. measured a total of 30 square metres. When the ship set out for its maiden voyage the following year, he was one 1964 of the first passengers aboard. The Slovene Cultural Centre in Trieste was completed As an award winning artist of the Venice Biennale he according to architect Edo Mihevc's plans; he intended to held exhibitions at the Secession in Vienna; the exhibited have Trieste artists contribute works of art for the interi- graphic prints were later purchased by the Albertina of or decoration. To this purpose, Spacal designed the tap- Vienna and the Victoria and Albert Museum of London. estry Coastal City for the niche of the bar in the foyer. He received the Executive Council Award of the 3rd During the renovation of the theatre in 2001 the tapestry Ljubljana International Biennial of Graphic Art. was removed. At the 3rd Italian Exhibition of Graphic Art in Venice Boris Pahor's novel Mesto v zalivu (City in the Bay) he received the Grand Prix of the Ministry of Industry was published, featuring four prints of Spacal's wood- and Trade for his woodcut Enchanted City. cuts: Morning in the Karst (1947), Bazovica (1945), He held another exhibition in Vienna: he presented the Ruins in the Karst (1946) and Food for Partisans (1944). works he had created over the last two years at the Jakopič Pavilion. 1967 Mladinska Knjiga published Boris Pahor's novel Kres The publishing houses Obzorja from Maribor and v pristanu (Bonfire in the Harbour); he illustrated the Založništvo tržaškega tiska from Trieste published a book cover and contributed two illustrations. entitled Lojze Spacal with an introductory text by Aleksander Bassin; the book was designed by Jože 1962 Brumen. He exhibited his most recent painted wooden panels Director Jože Babič made a short, twelve-minute film and woodcuts at Mala Galerija in Ljubljana. entitled Barva spomina (The Colour of Memory) for The Piran Gallery, which was originally conceived of Viba Film production company. The script was written by as a branch of the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana, Giorgio Sestan and the expert consultant was Aleksander was opened in Piran. Lojze Spacal coordinated activities Bassin. between Ljubljana and Piran. In summer the gallery was Mladinska knjiga published a portfolio of graphic prints to organise various exhibitions, but its main task was a from 1936-67, featuring texts by Zoran Kržišnik and Franco permanent display of contemporary Yugoslav art. Russoli. The portfolio was designed by Jože Brumen.

58 Lojze Spacal The amateur film director and lawyer Pierpaolo Venier 1971 made a short experimental film, Spacal grafica (Spacal He held another exhibition at Mala Galerija in Graphic Art), for the Asterisco Association in late 1967, Ljubljana, where he presented colour woodcuts from the with which he wished to present Spacal's view of the period 1966-1970 and the tapestry Karst Monument Karst and Istria. The film was shown as part of the special from 1968. selection at the Venice Film Festival the following year. A bibliophile edition of the book La Sacra Ostaria by Dušan Ferluga was published in Trieste; the cover fea- 1968 tures Spacal's colour woodcut Karst Enclosure from At the beginning of the year, Revoltella Museum 1957, whereas the book itself features works by five marked the artist's sixtieth birthday with the exhibition Italian painters and Spacal's colour woodcut Still-life Spacal: Opera grafica 1937-1967 (Spacal: Graphic from 1946 and Karst Woman from 1956. Works 1937-1967); the total of 158 works were put on display. The exhibition was accompanied by a portfolio 1972 of graphic prints resulting from international cooperation The Museum of Gorica marked the artist's 65th birth- between the publishing houses Scheiwiller of Milan and day with a large exhibition at Kromberk Castle; in addi- Mladinska knjiga of Ljubljana. The portfolio was printed tion to 205 graphic prints, eight tapestries and seven in 300 copies and was designed by Jože Brumen. Texts sculptures and matrixes were exhibited. On 17 June, the were contributed by Rudolfo Palluchini, Franco Russoli exhibition's opening day, the artist's home in Škrbina and Giulio Montenero. On the opening night, 18 was also open to the public. January, the Slovene Club in Trieste dedicated a special He designed a glass and stone mosaic for the lobby of event to the artist, during which the film Barva spomina San Luigi primary school in Trieste. was screened; the guest speaker was France Stele. The publishing house Državna založba Slovenije pub- Spacal designed a tapestry for the transatlantic ship lished Boris Pahor's book Grmada v pristanu (The Pyre the Raffaelo. in the Port) with a reproduction of Spacal's oil painting Dog in Poreč from 1957 on the cover. 1969 During a long artistic crisis in the 1970s he visited He bought a deserted farmstead in Škrbina in the Accettura and the neighbouring areas with his wife. He Karst and renovated it with his intuitive, inborn sense of hoped that a visit to the once remote village in the mid- the rhythm, harmony, proportions and wholesomeness dle of forests and fields, where the local population and of Karst architecture and love for Karst heritage in gen- their rural life had reminded him of the people of the eral, upgrading and transforming it into a harmonic Karst and where he received his calling as a painter, whole, where his spirit radiated from every detail. Later would help him out of the crisis. Upon returning from his he associated this undertaking with his duty to repay his journey, he brought dozens of photographs of trulli - debt to the Karst, a region where he always found inspi- stone dwellings without windows and with a conical, dry ration for his artistic creativity and whose fast disappear- masonry roof of flat stone, characteristic of Apulian tra- ance due to new construction methods he sadly ditional architecture. observed. In the following years he worked and spent summers there with his wife. He often organised various 1973 gatherings of Slovene and Italian artists, politicians, crit- He contributed stage design for the opera Nozze istri- ics and curators at the house. ane (The Istrian Wedding) by Antonio Smaregli at In the late 1960s he purchased a Mamiya Super 23 Giuseppe Verdi Theatre in Trieste. camera. He had previously used Rolleiflex, of which the The Motta publishing house of Milan published a port- Rolleikin adaptor for Leica format film has been pre- folio of graphic prints entitled Fantasie carsiche (Karst served. Fantasies) as part of the Il giorni colorati (Colourful Days) series; the text was written by Giuseppe Marchiori. 1970 Glasbena Matica of Trieste issued a publication enti- For his graphic print Moonshine in Savudrija he tled Orkester Glasbene matice - Trst 1953-1973 received the Grand Prix of the 6th Blue Salon Biennial (Glasbena Matica Orchestra: Trieste 1953-1973); the Čovjek i more (Man and Sea) in Zadar. cover of the publication was designed by Spacal.

Življenjepis in bibliografija 59 As an artist Spacal responded to the military coup in 1980 Chile. Even when getting on in years, he continued to be Založništvo Tržaškega Tiska published the second edi- deeply affected by various events across the world that tion of the poetry and graphic art portfolio Kosovel - changed the destinies of whole nations: the fascist Spacal: Kras-Carso-Karst. Fifteen graphic prints, original oppression of Slovenes and Second World War victims, woodcuts by Lojze Spacal, and fifteen poems by Kosovel, the crushing of democratic forces in Chile in 1973 and translated into Croatian, Italian and German, are accom- later the wars in the Balkans. panied by an essay by Ciril Zlobec.

1974 1981 He received the Prešeren Award for his graphic works After the completion of Edo Mihevc's most recent and paintings. project, the Slovene Cultural Centre in Gorizia, whose The Lipa publishing house of Koper published a book construction had begun back in 1974, the architect invit- entitled Spacal in Kras (Spacal and the Karst) with an ed Spacal to work with him again. The artist designed a introductory text by Zoran Kržišnik. A special feature of stone mosaic that adorns the wall of the atrium with the book is Italo Zanniero's black and white photographs arcades connecting the theatre and sports hall and func- of Karst architecture which, following an idea from tioning as an entrance to both of them. Oskar Kogoj, are juxtaposed against graphic prints. A year later the same publishing house in association with 1982 PB Studio Sas of Padua published an expanded Italian He contributed stage and costume design for the per- edition called Il carso di Spacal ( Spacal and the Karst) formance of Trittico by Antonio Illesberg at the Giuseppe with an additional text by Giuseppe Marchiori. Verdi Theatre in Trieste. The Centre of Graphic Art in Venice published a port- The Mladinska knjiga publishing house published an folio of five silkscreen prints, Pietre del Carso (Karst extensive monograph entitled Lojze Spacal; the introduc- Stones), with a text by Virgilio Boccardi. tion was written by Gillo Dorfles, the foreword by Zoran In the first half of the1970s Spacal bought a Yashica Kržišnik and other texts by Giuseppe Marchiori, Jure Mat 124 G camera. Mikuž and Ina Stegen. The Italian edition of the mono- graph was published by Arte e Pensiero in Florence and 1977 the American edition by Alpine Art in New York. The Marking the artist's 70th birthday and 40 years of his monograph was first presented on 1 October 1983 in artistic creativity, three Trieste galleries - at San Giusto Škrbina and later also in Trieste. Castle, in the great hall of the university and at Risiera - held a successful, popular exhibition called Luigi Spacal: 1984 Mostra antologica (Lojze Spacal: An Anthology). The Friuli Venezia Giulia Region awarded him the The Gruppo Giuliano Cronisti (Association of Golden Memorial Medal. Chronicles of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region) honoured him with the San Giusto d'Oro Award for his interna- 1986 tional recognition as an artist and his contribution to the The Italian publishing house Venetemblemi published cultural reputation of Trieste in the world. He was the the monograph Spacal. L'opera grafica 1935-1986, cata- first Slovene recipient of this prestigious award. logo generale (Spacal: Graphic Oeuvre 1935-1986, A Catalogue of Works) in 1,200 marked copies with an 1978 included graphic print. The Italian text was written by In Belgrade, the President of the Socialist Federal Vittorio Sgarbi and was translated into Slovene, English Republic of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito awarded him the and German. Golden Star Order of Merit for the Nation. In the early 1980s he bought a Praktica MTL 5B cam- era, studio lights and a JVC video camera. Because he 1979 had difficulty mastering the video camera's functions, it He designed the tapestry Suspended Boats in remained more or less unused. Savudrija for the Nuova Banca di Credito di Trieste .

60 Lojze Spacal 1987 sented him with the Bulino d'Oro Award for the most dis- On his eightieth birthday he received an acknowledge- tinguished graphic art masters in the world. ment from the Slovene Cultural and Economic Association of Trieste: the Struggle and Work Award for 1992 supreme artistic achievements that had drawn the atten- At Cankarjev dom Gallery, the exhibition Lojze tion of the international public to his home area. Spacal. Kolaži - mešana tehnika 1963-91 (Lojze Spacal. He became a corresponding member of the Slovene Collages: Mixed Media 1963 - 91) was put on display to Academy of Sciences and Arts based in Ljubljana. commemorate Slovene Culture Day. At this occasion, the Aljoša Žerjal, an amateur film maker, made a docu- artist expressed his joy at being able to exhibit in an inde- mentary about the artist's life, entitled Barva spominov pendent Slovenia. (The Colour of Memories). The script was written by To commemorate the artist's 85th birthday, a large Giulio Montenero. The film was made in Italian and, exhibition was put on display at Galleria Palazzo Vecchio although it was not yet completed, it was shown for the 2 in Florence and a portfolio was published featuring first time at the opening of exhibitions put on display to three of the artist's graphic prints and poetry by three commemorate the artist's 80th birthday at Tržaška knji- Italian authors. garna Gallery and at the Slovene Cultural Centre in Trieste. It was later translated into Slovene. 1993 He was awarded the Memorial Plaque of the Friuli 1988 Venezia Giulia Region. At Štanjel Castle, a permanent exhibition of his works was put on display and the gallery was named after him. 1995 The exhibition was accompanied by the publication of a He received an Honorary Premium for his artistic oeu- monograph entitled L. Spacal: katalog razstave (L. vre and the Purchase Award of the special jury of the 21st Spacal: Exhibition Catalogue) featuring texts by Jure International Biennial of Graphic Art in Ljubljana. Mikuž, Ivan Sedej and Giulio Montenero. At the open- ing, the completed film Barva spominov (The Colour of 1997 Memories) by Aljoša Žerjal was screened. The artist Revoltella Museum commemorated the artist's 90th donated 51 paintings, 78 graphic prints and a tapestry to birthday with an exhibition entitled Spacal 1937-1997. the Municipality of Sežana. Sessant'annit di attività artistica (Spacal 1937-1997: Sixty He held an exhibition at Galleria Grigoletti in Years of Artistic Work). On the last day of the exhibition, Pordenone; the city awarded him a medal as their distin- 7th October, Pierpaolo Veniero's experimental film, guished guest artist of the year. Spacal grafica, from 1967 was screened. 1989 1998 The Municipality of Sežana declared him an honorary The Slovene PEN Club, the Slovene Writers' citizen. Association and the Association of Slovene Cultural He accepted the proposal to run for the position of Societies in Italy published a selection of poems by deputy to the European Parliament as a candidate of the Slovene poets living in Italy, entitled Duh po morski soli Trieste Communist Party; as a reason for his decision he (The Smell of Sea Salt); the cover of the book, designed stated his democratic awareness that matured in his by Marko Kravos, features a reproduction of Spacal's youth, when he suffered social injustices and was impris- graphic print City at Night from 1951. oned and exiled several times because of his anti-fascist activities. 1999 On 23 September his first-born son Savo died at a He designed a motif for a renovated fountain in the Trieste hospital. main square in Sales near Sgonico. The members of the municipal council declared him an honorary citizen of 1991 Sgonico in gratitude for the bequeathed motif and His painting City in the Mirror, a wood-and-cork work because he had acquainted the world with the Karst. made recently, was displayed in the lobby of the hall of He received a special award at the 23rd International the Friuli Venezia Giulia Provincial Council. Biennial of Graphic Art. In Venice, the Corbo e Fiore publishing house pre- Edina publishing house of Ljubljana published a book

Življenjepis in bibliografija 61 of poems by Boris A. Novak entitled Odsotnost (Absence), featuring twelve reproductions of Spacal's graphic prints: Lunar Eclipse over the Karst (1968), Pale Moon (1971), Archaeological Vine (1969), Partisan Burial Ground (1982), Autumn Day (1967), In the Fields (1964), Summer Night in the Karst (1967), Window in the Karst (1973), Karst Barn (1971), Moonrise in the Karst (1967) and Suspended Boats (1972). The essay about Spacal was written by Zoran Kržišnik and the essay about the poet by Aleš Debeljak. The poems, essays and titles of graphic prints were trans- lated into ten languages. Nova grafična mapa (New Graphic Art Portfolio), featuring twelve graphic prints, was also published. On 14 April his wife Milojka died at the Auresina hospital.

2000 On 24 April he attended the opening of his retrospec- tive exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana. Eleven days after the opening, on 6 May, he died at the Auresina hospital. He is buried in Karst soil at a small cemetery in Škrbina. He was posthumously given the Jakopič Award, which was received on his behalf by his grandchildren Tanja and Martin Spacal. They donated the proceeds from the award to the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana, along with most of the artist's archives.

After the artist's death, in 2002, Slovenia TV and Fatamorgana productions company co-produced a film entitled Oko Krasa (The Eye of the Karst), directed by Matjaž Žbontar, who also wrote a script. In addition to old interviews with the artist, the film features a conver- sation with Spacal that was filmed in Škrbina a few years before his death. Texts were selected by Majda Hostnik.

62 Lojze Spacal Zahvale Pri orisu življenjske poti Lojzeta Spacala so mi bili v neprecenljivo pomoč spomini umetnikovega sina Boruta Spacala, namenjeni skorajšnji knjižni izdaji, sorodnic Mare Dobrila in Zdenke Vodopivec Tomažič ter drugih, ki so umetnika osebno poznali: mag. Metke Gombač iz Arhiva Republike Slovenije, Milana Pahorja iz Narodne in študijske knjižnice v Trstu ter pisatelja Borisa Pahorja. K biografiji sta pripomogla tudi Dragica Ule Maver iz Narodne in študijske knjižnice v Trstu, arhitekt mag. Marko Korosic, poznavalec opusa umetnikovega prijatel- ja Eda Mihevca, ter Andrej Furlan z Inštituta Franceta Steleta na ZRC Slovenske Akademije znanosti in umet- nosti v Ljubljani, ki je nesebično pomagal pri razrešitvi nekaterih vprašanj v zvezi z objavami v italijanskem časopisju. Vsem se za njihovo pomoč iskreno zahvaljujem.

Narodni in študijski knjižnici v Trstu se zahvaljujem za izposojo Spacalovega albuma s fotografijami razstav in vabil na razstave, Arhivu Republike Slovenije in dokumentaciji TV Slovenija pa za ogled filma oziroma tele- vizijskih intervjujev z umetnikom.

Posebno zahvalo dolgujem umetnikovem vnuku Martinu Spacalu, ki je ves čas priprave zavzeto sodeloval, pri- našal iz dedove zapuščine razne dokumente, stvari in družinske fotografije, tudi tiste, ki jih je našel pri sorod- nikih, ter pomagal pri razreševanju marsikatere nejasnosti v zvezi z dedovimi aktivnostmi in življenjem nasploh. Brez njegovih opozoril, nasvetov in posredovanja nekaterih doslej neznanih podatkov bi bila pričujoča biografi- ja bistveno manj izčrpna. Za njegovo vselej ljubeznivo pomoč se mu najtopleje zahvaljujem.

Kljub vsej pomoči zgoraj omenjenih pa bi bila pot do nastanka pričujočega umetnikovega življenjepisa precej težja in daljša, če kolegica Jana Intihar Ferjan pred tem ne bi naredila obsežnega, natančnega in zanesljivega seznama umetnikovih razstav, nagrad, javnih del in bibliografije, objavljenega v katalogu Spacalove retrospek- tivne razstave v Moderni galeriji leta 2000. Lara Štrumej

Acknowledgement In exploring the life of Lojze Spacal, I was greatly assisted by the memoirs of the artist's son Borut Spacal, which will soon be published in a book; by his relatives Mara Dobrila and Zdenka Vodopivec Tomažič; and by others who knew the artist personally: Metka Gombač MA of the Archive of the Republic of Slovenia, Milan Pahor of the Trieste National and Study Library and author Boris Pahor. I was also assisted by Dragica Ule Maver of the Trieste National and Study Library, architect Marko Korosic MA, who is a connoisseur of the work of the artist's friend Edo Mihevc, and Andrej Furlan of France Stele Institute with the Scientific and Research Centre of the Slovene Academy of Sciences and Arts in Ljubljana, who selflessly helped me solve several riddles concerning published material from the Italian press. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to all of them.

I also thank the Trieste National and Study Library for kindly lending me Spacal's album with photographs of and invitations to exhibitions, and the Archive of the Republic of Slovenia and documentation department of TV Slovenia for allowing me to view filmed television interviews with the artist.

My special thanks go to the artist's grandson Martin Spacal, who eagerly participated in the preparations, find- ing various documents, objects and family photographs in his grandfather's estate, some of which he received from his relatives, and who helped me solve many riddles concerning his grandfather's activities and life in general. Without his directions, advice and assistance securing many previously unknown details, this biogra- phy would be much shorter. I warmly thank him for his kind help.

But despite the assistance of all these individuals, writing the artist's biography would have been much more difficult and taken longer if my colleague Jana Intihar Ferjan had not compiled an exhaustive, accurate and reliable list of the artist's exhibitions, awards, public works and bibliography, all of which was published in the catalogue of Spacal's retrospective exhibition at the Ljubljana Museum of Modern Art in 2000.

Lara Štrumej

Življenjepis in bibliografija 63 Lojze Spacal Življenjepis in bibliografija

Katalog izdala: Gorenjski muzej in Moderna galerija Za Gorenjski muzej: mag. Barbara Ravnik Toman Za Moderno galerijo: Zdenka Badovinac

Uredniški odbor: Marko Arnež, Toni Biloslav, Tina Jazbec, mag. Barbara Ravnik Toman, Martin Spacal in Franko Vecchiet Urednica kataloga: Barbara Kalan (Gorenjski muzej)

Avtorji besedil: Drago Mirošič, Zoran Kržišnik in mag. Metka Gombač Lektoriranje: mag. Stanko Šimenc Angleški prevod: Amidas, d.o.o., Ljubljana Italijanski prevod: Sandro Kravanja, Mojca in Franka Cerkvenik

Življenjepis: mag. Lara Štrumej (Moderna galerija) Lektoriranje: Tamara Soban (Moderna galerija) Angleški prevod: Ljubica Klančar Italijanski prevod: Sandro Kravanja Preslikava slikovnega gradiva: Dejan Habicht (Moderna galerija), Arhiv Republike Slovenije

Bibliografija: Tina Jazbec (Galerija Lojzeta Spacala) Podatki za bibliografijo: Moderna galerija, Jana Intihar Ferjan; Obalne galerije Piran, Nives Marvin; Televizija Slovenija, Iztok Premrov; Umetnikov arhiv, ki ga hrani Martin Spacal Lektoriranje: Barbara Kalan (Gorenjski muzej) Angleški prevod: Amidas d.o.o., Ljubljana Italijanski prevod: Sandro Kravanja

Grafično oblikovanje: Marko Tušek Priprava litografij: Repro-print, Kranj Tisk: Pro Grafika, Žabnica Naklada: 675 izvodov

Kranj, junij 2007

Izdajo kataloga so omogočili Mestna občina Kranj, Zavarovalnica Triglav, d.d., Ministrstvo za kulturo Republike Slovenije, Istrabenz, d.d., Mercator d.d., Droga Kolinska d.d., Istrabenz hoteli d.d., Istrabenz plini d.d., Instalacije d.d., HIT d.d., Konstruktor d.d. in GIP ART, d.o.o.

Gorenjski muzej, Tomšičeva 44, 4000 Kranj, www.gorenjski-muzej.si Moderna galerija Ljubljana, Tomšičeva ul. 14, 1000 Ljubljana, www.mg-lj.si Galerija Lojzeta Spacala, Grad Štanjel, Štanjel 1a, 6222 Štanjel, www.kras-carso.si

Lojze Spacal na svetovnem spletu: www.spacal.net

CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikaciji Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana

929Spacal L. 016:929Spacal L.

MIROŠIČ, Drago Lojze Spacal : življenjepis in bibliografija / [avtorji besedil Drago Mirošič, Zoran Kržišnik in Metka Gombač ; prevod Amidas ... [et al.] ; življenjepis Lara Štrumej ; bibliografija Tina Jazbec]. - Kranj : Gorenjski muzej ; Ljubljana : Moderna galerija, 2007

ISBN 978-961-6478-16-8 (Gorenjski muzej) 1. Kržišnik, Zoran 2. Gombač, Metka 233561600