Leon Zakrajsek

LEON ZAKRAJŠEK, painter and graphic artist
Biography
Leon Zakrajšek, born in 1962, works in the field of abstract art and artistic graphics as the creator and promoter of an original graphic language. He studied at the Academy of Art of Ljubljana University. He developed as an artist at international art colleges, such as the Spanish Centre Internacional de Recerca Gràfica, the Japanese Tama Art University as a scholarship student of the Japanese government, and in the graphics studio Hanga Kobo-Seya-ku, where he was under the tutorship of Harumi Sonoyama, and with master wood engravers such as Fumio Kitaoka, Yuki Rei and Seiko Kawachi.
Since 1987 he has been a member of the Association of Slovene Artists, since 1998 a member of the Kamakura Print Collection, and in 1996 he was given the title Cavaliere dell`Arte in Italy – a Knight of Art. With his fruitful artistic work he has taken part in many international projects. From 1999 to 2005 he was a member of the Scientific Council and selector of the Italian “L'Arte e il Torchio“ which is held in Cremona. In 2003 he held the position of president of the Graphics Section of the association of Slovene artists. In 2004 he became an honorary member of the Tokyo Print Association – H...

Education:
1977-1981, The school of design, Ljubljana,
1982-1986, The Academy of Fine Arts, Ljubljana,
1988, Centre Internacional de Recerca Grafica, Calella, Spain,
1997-1998, Tama Art University, Tokyo, Japan and by Harumi Sonoyama,Fumio Kitaoka, Yuki Rei and Seiko Kawachi

Awards:
1986 - Grand Prix for print,19th Yugoslav Art Academy’s workshop , Ivanjica, Yugoslavia
- purchase award VI.Extempore, Ljubljana, Slovenija,
1987 - purchase award VII.Extempore , Ljubljana, Slovenija,
1988 - purchase award VIII.Extempore, Ljubljana, Slovenija,
1990 - 1st Kochi Triennial Exhibition of Prints, Purchase award, Ino cho, Japan,
1994 - Parchemin D'honneur, 3e Triennale Mondiale D'estampes petit format Chamalieres,
France,
1995 - Diploma D'onore, 2a biennale Internazionale d'arte moderna Contemporanea,
Europa unita 94/95, Sassari, Italy,
- Distinction Award, 1st International Art Biennale Malta, Malta,
- Sudeto Premio, Grand Premio 100 Nominations, Sassari, Italy,
1996 - Cavaliere Del Arte, Sassari, Italy,
1997 - Bunka - cho Fellowship, Japanese Governament Art Award, Tokyo, Japan,
2009 -Honorable Mention, 2nd NBC Tokyo International ...

Exibitions
Besides 150 solo/one-man exhibitions , held in, Austria, Canada, China, Croatia,France,Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,Serbia, Slovenija;
He also had 250 group exibitions worldwide (the USA, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America)
Important/Major international exibitions:
Kamnik, International Ex libris exhibition 750 years of Kamnik, 1979, Slovenija,
Sarajevo, Collegium Artisticum Zajedno 85, 1985,BiH,
Beograd, Studentski grad Zajedno 85,1985, Srbija,
Ancara, Tutav International students prints,Turkish grand national assembly,1985, Turky,
Split, Auction Jugoplastika, 1987, Croatia,
Yokohama, 14th International Print Exhibition 1988, Japan,
Cadaques, 9th Mini Print International, 1989, Spain,
Yokohama, 15th International Print Exhibition 1989, Japan
Barcelona, The 9th MPIC 1990, Spain,
Toulouse, The 9th MPIC 1990, France,
Toronto, 5th Annual International Exhibition of Miniature Art 1990, Canada,
Cadaques, 10th Mini Print International, 1990, Spain
Yokohama, 16th International Print Exhibition 1990, Japan
Horny Smokovec, Komplot, International Prints Exhibition 1990, Slovakia,
Ino-cho, 1st Kochi InternationalTriennial Print Exhibition 1990, Japan,
Presov, Komplot International PrintsExhi...