Andrej Jemec was born in Ljubljana in 1934. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana (1953–1958) under professors Marij Preglj and Gabrijel Stupica, and graphic design under professors Riko Debenjak and Božidar Jakac. Following his graduation, he continued his training in Paris (1963-64), in Johnny Friedlaender’s studio, thanks to a grant from the Prešernov sklad (Prešeren Foundation), before moving to London. After teaching at a primary school in Šentvid near Ljubljana (1958-61), he was a freelance artist from 1962 to 1973. In 1973, he concluded his doctoral research and, in 1984, began to teach drawing and painting at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana to undergraduate and postgraduate students, which he continued to do until 1999. He was elected Dean of the Academy twice between 1977 and 1981. In 1995, he was elected to the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Ljubljana as an associate member and, in 2001, as a full member.
Like many painters of his generation, Jemec progressively found freedom by following the liberatory potential of colour. Expressive possibilities and narrative through lines were progressively mellowed and conferred to the sole power of chromatic representation, which literally took a central place. Indeed, he slowly began placing coloured sections at the centre of his paintings, bidding on the structural and semantic force of colour and light.
Jemec has taken part in numerous exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (twice – in 1970 and 1972), the Sao Paulo Biennial (twice – in 1971 and 1977), and every edition of the Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts between 1963 and 1999.
He has been awarded numerous prizes for his work, among them: an award at the Biennale of Young Yugoslav Artists in Rijeka, Croatia (1960); the Grand Prix International in the 4th International Biennial Exhibition of Prints, Tokyo (1964); Medal of Honour at the 3rd International Exhibition of Graphic Art, Frechen, Germany (1974); the Jakopič Prize, Ljubljana (1975), 1st prize at the 11th International Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana (1975); the Silver Award at the International Print Triennial, Osaka, Japan (1991); the Prešeren Award for Lifetime Achievement, Ljubljana (1994); and the Golden Plaque from the University of Ljubljana (1998). In 2005, he was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art and, in 2010, the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st Class.
Andrej Jemec lives and works in Ljubljana.
