Jiri Kocica

Jiri Kočica (b. 1966, Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia) is an acclaimed sculptor, curator, and educator whose work operates at the profound intersection of classical craftsmanship, conceptual philosophy, and deeply personal narratives. Born into a lineage where creation was a form of survival—his great-grandfather carved birds from hospital beds to escape the dust of the mines—Kočica views sculpture not merely as object-making, but as a space for ethics, memory, and the duration of the human soul.

He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana in 1991 with a focus on "Site-Specific Sculpture" and went on to earn his Master of Arts degree in 1993 with his seminal thesis, "Sculpture in the Duration."

Currently, Kočica passes on his rigorous research and passion to the next generation of artists as a Professor at the Faculty of Visual Arts and Design in Koper (University of Primorska). His extensive academic career also includes roles at the Faculty of Art Education at the University of Maribor and the School for Interior Design in Ljubljana, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to the dialogue between spatial design and fine art.

Throughout his career, Kočica has seamlessly bridged the gap between grand public architect...

1993
MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Sculpture
Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Thesis: "Sculpture in the Duration" (Kip v trajanju)

1991
BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in Sculpture
Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Thesis: "Site-Specific Sculpture" (Kip na lokaciji)

2013, Vienna, gallery Schleifmuehlgasse 12/14, artistic instalation
2013, Ljubljana, The Pregl Research Centre (part of the Institute for Chemistry Slovenia)- sculptural installation sculpture installation, work in progress
2012, Maribor, Vetrinje castle, the headquarters of the European Capital of Culture,Point to the Eye: Drop Into the Horizon, Presentation of the project of nano-portrait and philosophycal reconsideration of contemporary art
2012, New York City (USA), Gallery MC, Votive Sculptures, sculptures
2012, New York City (USA), BOSI Contemporary Gallery , 95 Theses on Art, the act of "art faith"- fixing 95 Theses on Art on doors of different galleries
2012, New York City (USA), Lesley Heller Workspace Gallery, 95 Theses on Art, the act of "art faith"- fixing 95 Theses on Art on doors of different galleries
2012, New York City (USA), Gallery MC, 95 Theses on Art, the act of "art faith"- fixing 95 Theses on Art on doors of different galleries
2012, Washington D.C., USA, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia , exhibition in the gallery space of the Embassy , sculpture installation
2011, Ljubljana (Slovenia), Garden of the United Association of Slovenian Artists Gallery, The Socialised Sculpture, sculpture installation
2011,...