Boris Selan – A Painter of Colour, Emotion, and Form
Boris Selan is a Slovenian painter and sculptor who has been shaping the contemporary art scene for decades with a distinctive style defined by bold colour, emotional intensity, and rich symbolism. His work spans numerous painting cycles, often centred around recurring themes such as the sea, salt pans, the female form, and the human face. He frequently focuses on the figure, rendering it in close relationship to space and light.
Born in 1948 in Medvode, Selan began his studies in industrial design but soon turned to painting, where he found his true voice. His art draws inspiration from modernist movements such as Cubism, Fauvism, Futurism, and Expressionism.
Selan's paintings often explore the connection between body and space, between form and feeling. His colour palette is vivid and expressive, his compositions carefully considered, and his visual language deeply personal. Art historian Monika Ivančič Fajfar sees echoes of Picasso, Matisse, Severini, and early Art Deco in his work, while also emphasising Selan’s original and contemporary interpretation of these influences.
Notable painting cycles such as The Sea, Salt Pans and Eros, and Faces reflect the balance in his work between intellectual structure and emotional expression, resulting in artworks that are both visually striking and emotionally resonant.
Selan’s work has been exhibited widely in Slovenia and internationally. In 2012, he took part in a group show at Agora Gallery in New York, where his painting Care (Nega) was selected as part of the event’s promotional material—an acknowledgement of his distinctive artistic voice and growing international recognition.
Exhibition: The Piran Trill
Currently on view at the Caserma Gallery in the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park is The Piran Trill, Boris Selan’s latest exhibition. The show continues his exploration of the Istrian landscape, coastal scenes, and poetic figuration. These new works showcase Selan’s signature artistic language and his sensitivity to space, light, and the human form.
At the exhibition opening, Selan and his work were introduced by art historian Nuša Podgornik and art historian and musician Lado Jakša, who also presented an original music program inspired by the exhibition's themes.
The exhibition runs until September 7, 2025, and is open daily from 9 AM to 8 PM.
We warmly invite you to visit!
