His work was characterized by thematic versatility and artistic versatility. Humor and artistic esprit formed his unmistakable "Cipár" artistic signature. Today (January 8) marks 90 years since the birth of one of the most versatile Slovak artists, an outstanding illustrator, graphic artist, sculptor, and academic painter Miroslav Cipár.
Miroslav Cipár was born on January 8, 1935, in the settlement of Semeteš, which is part of the municipality of Vysoká nad Kysucou. His parents returned from America during the period of the First Czechoslovak Republic and tried to start a business. The father of the future artist, Štefan Cipár, was the only one out of twenty-two people who, thanks to chance, survived the mass execution on April 20, 1945, when the retreating Nazis liquidated an entire group of local residents. This is the well-known Semetešská tragedy, which became the last mass execution during World War II in Czechoslovakia. The post-war years again affected the democratically minded parents, when as businesspersons they became enemies of the nation and became tenants in their own house.
Miroslav Cipár lived in his birthplace for ten years until he went to high school in Žilina. After graduating from high school, he studied Slovak language and art education at the Pedagogical University in Bratislava from 1953 to 1955. He continued his education at the University of Fine Arts in Bratislava - he was accepted to study graphics and monumental painting, which he completed under the guidance of professors Vincent Hložník and Petr Matejko. He completed his studies in 1961 and worked as a freelancer since then.
In the 1960s, he was responsible for the creation and implementation of several cultural projects - for example, the Graphic Artists Club, the Instinct Art Triennial, and the International Biennial of Young Artists Danuvius 68. In 1967, he was one of the founders of the International Competition of Original Illustrations for Children and Youth Books, the Bratislava Illustration Biennial (BIB). The organizers of this prestigious international exhibition dedicated its 29th edition in 2023 to Miroslav Cipár.
In 1971-1972, he worked in India as a teacher at the Children’s Book Institute, and in 1985 he led an illustrator’s workshop in Sri Lanka. In 1987, he received a scholarship to the United States. He was one of the main protagonists of the Gentle Revolution and in 1989 became a member of the coordination committee of the Public Against Violence (VPN).
Cipár's work included free painting, drawing, calligraphy, graphics, but also sculpture and medallion making. His rich portfolio consisted of painting, sculptures, graphics, and he also created many famous logos. For example, he is behind the logos of the Slovak National Gallery (SNG), the Bratislava Music Festival (BHS), the Bratislava City Gallery (GMB), the Mladé letá publishing house, the Bratislava Illustration Biennial (BIB) and the Instinct Art Triennial.
However, he became known to the general public mainly as an excellent illustrator. Thanks to his fresh humorous expression, playfulness and unique style based on Slovak traditions, his illustrations have been etched in the memory of several generations of readers. He illustrated and designed the covers of hundreds of books, and drew for the children's magazines Slniečko, Ohník and Zornička.
During his professional career, he has received many awards, mainly for his illustration work, including multiple Mladé letá Publishing House Awards and honorary mentions and prizes from the Most Beautiful Book competition, medals at the International Buchkunst Ausstellung in Leipzig, the Golden Eagle award at the Book Design Festival in Nice, and Golden Plaques at the BIB. Since 1979, he has been the recipient of the Ľudovít Fulla Award, and in 2001 he received the Ľudovít Štúr Order, 1st Class.
One of the most versatile Slovak artists and a legend of Slovak illustration, Miroslav Cipár, died on November 8, 2021 at the age of 86.
Source: TASR
