Robert Brun

Robert Brun was born on the 2^nd of November 1948 in the city of Žilina. In 1972 he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava, the Department of Printmaking and Book Illustration, under the supervision of Professor Vincent Hložník and Professor Albín Brunovský. He worked as a freelance at an Art School in Žilina till 1990. In 1993-1994 he worked at the Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, at its Department of Printmaking, and since 2003 has been working at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica. In 2004 he obtained habilitation at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava and was given the academic title of Docent.

Robert Brun was awarded a Golden Apple for his illustrations for the book Kominár v bielom klobúku (The Chimney Sweeper in a White Hat) at the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava in 1987. What is characteristic for Róbert Brun's work it is the artist's atypical approach and new ideas for illustrating children's books which appeal for their modernizing vigour even nowadays. He covers the space with a full colour composition and at the same time he focuses on a detail object to divide the text. The artist's strongest point is his imagination. He often uses the leitmotiv of a deformed face, a mask, shifting it to the level of exaggeration and grotesque image arranged into geometrical figures. These Brun's cheerful, witty madcap jokes of a high artistic level propose intellectually perceptive viewer. This kind of illustration has been waiting (and maybe it will have to wait) for wider acceptance, which makes the artist innovative and at the same time unique. That is typical for innovators, who are often understood only by a small circle of supporters. His illustrations cannot deny their seriousness, they are often even frightening, and because of the choice of colour tones even a kind of chilly mystery. His well-thought composition full of images and details also has a precise architectural structure. Colouring is becoming the strong point, but it would not be so vigorous without expression of the figures who have their inner worlds, maybe even psychological worlds shifted, which evoke amusement for a young viewer, but for an adult the dive into mental mysteries and secrets. His stylisations of figures could be unattractive at first sight, however, it makes it unique, intelligent and full of creative potential. Figures often grin ironically, make grimaces, and dare to play a kind of cheeky performance of feelings and inner lives. Somewhere there is encoded a moment of truth which is perceived by a child as a challenge to play. Despite this curious approach to fairy tale heroes the artist maintain elegance and undeniable dignity in his work.    
Author of the text: Mgr. Barbara Brathová, art historian

Beside illustrations his focus is also painting, printmaking and stamps.

Dobrodružstvá Timma Thalera (J. Krüss, Mladé letá 1972); Ondrej Ondrejko a Zeleň kráľ (J. Beňo, Mladé letá 1973); Ako kominárik svetom putoval (P. Glocko, Mladé letá 1974); Tam za riekou (J. Korinec, Mladé letá 1974); Kako je Dimnikarček potoval po svetu (P. Glocko, Mladé letá 1975); Biele noci pri ohníku (J. Korinec, Mladé letá 1975); Prečo sa babky ráno smejú (O. Pancu-lasi, Mladé letá 1975); Na Záhradnej ulici je rušno (V. Dragunskij, Mladé letá 1976); Námestie kartónových hodín (L. Jachnin, Mladé letá 1976); Malý Virgil (O. L. Kirkegaard, Mladé letá 1977); Veľké tajomstvo (F. Tuglas, Mladé letá 1977); O dvoch capkoch (M. Kociunbynskyj, Mladé letá 1978, 1981); Dobrodružstvá Ivka-Pivka (I. Izakovič, Mladé letá 1978); Chorý medvedík (Ľ. Podjavorinská, Mladé letá 1978, 1980); Kiki a Miki (E. Čepčeková, Mladé letá 1978); Ľahkonohá pastierka (F. Marceau, Smena 1978); Chorý medvedík (Ľ. Podjavorinská, Mladé letá 1978); Rozprávky Kmotra Svrčka (A. Mirandová, Mladé letá 1979); Zázračný vŕšok Mambiala (A. M. Elizagarayová, Mladé letá 1979); Dlhá noc hľadania (B. Clavel, Smena 1980); Drak sa vracia (D. Chrobák, Slovenský spisovateľ 1979); Rozprávky Kmotra Svrčka (A. Miranda, Mladé letá 1979); Detský kalendár (B. Trilecová, Mladé letá 1979, 1986); Kniha z piesku (J. Luis Borges, Tatran 1980); Aeneas (P. Vergilius Maro, Mladé letá 1981); Blíženci z Gemini (A. Vašová, Mladé letá 1981); Dcéra slnca (Mladé letá 1981); Tri zlé princezné (J. Pavlovič, Mladé letá 1981); O Tytíkovi (V. Marčok, Mladé letá 1982); Päť detektívov (Ľ. Feldek, Mladé letá 1982); Zlatá čaša (M. A. Pryhar, Východoslovenské vydavateľstvo 1983); Moja prvá dúha (Ľ. Feldek, Mladé letá 1984); Pesničkové nevesty (Z. Zemaníková, Mladé letá 1984); Trinásť pochodujúcich čajníkov (D. Hevier, Mladé letá 1984); Kominár v bielom klobúku (G. Petriašvili, Mladé letá 1985); Kráľ naháňa králika (D. Hevier, Osveta 1985); Učebnica na prestávku (M. Lechan, Osveta 1988); Objavoviteľovo oko (Slovenský spisovateľ 1989); Tisíc a jedna noc zv. 2 (Tatran 1989, Ikar 2009); Adam v škole nesedel (Š. Moravčík, Mladé letá 1987); O kráľovi a malej breze (T. Revajová, Osveta 1987); Záhady starej pevnosti (J. Repko, Osveta 1991); Päť zázračníkov (V. Šuplata, BIBART 1995); Tisíc a jedna noc, 2. zv. (Ikar, 2009).

Čeští a slovenští ilustrátoři knih pro malé děti. Praha : Albatros - Bratislava : Mladé letá, 1980, s. 58-59.

KUBOVÁ, Matilda – CPIN, Peter: Tvorcovia detskej knihy. 3. dopl. vyd. Bratislava : Mladé letá, 1991. [75] l. ISBN 80-06-00319-X.

Slovník českých a slovenských výtvarných umělců 1950 - 1997.  I.  A – Č. Ostrava : Výtvarné centrum Chagall, 1998, s. 225. ISBN 80-86171-00-0.

Umenie pre deti. Edit. Mária Števková. Bratislava : Buvik, 1999. [88] l. ISBN 80-85507-87-0.
JANČÁR, Ivan - MATÁK, Márius: Robert Brun : v znamení znamení. Trnava : Edition Ryba, 2005. 71 s. ISBN 80-969151-7-7.
BRATHOVÁ, Barbara: Slovak United Imagi Nations. Bratislava : Literárne informačné centrum, 2009, s. 138-143. ISBN 978-80-89222-75-9.

Robert Brun. Porfolio 2008-2012. Žilina : Považská galéria umenia, 2012. 68 s. ISBN 978-80-88730-79-8.

1973 Honorary Mention in the competition the Most Beautiful Czechoslovak Books '72 for the book  Dobrodružstvá Timma Thallera (Timm Thaller's Adventures)

1980 Honorary Mention in the competition the Most Beautiful Czechoslovak Books '79 for the book Rozprávky kmotra Svrčka (Uncle Cricket's Fairy Tales)
1982 Honorary Mention in the competition the Most Beautiful Czechoslovak Books '81 for the book Tri zlé princezné (Three Naughty Pricesses)
1986 Honorary Mention in the competition the Most Beautiful Czechoslovak Books '85 for the books Kominár v bielom klobúku and Kráľ naháňa králika (The King Runs After a Rabbit)
1987 Golden Apple BIB ´87 for illustrations of the book Kominár v bielom klobúku.
1989 IBA Bronze Medal in Leipzig, Germany

1989 Ľudovít Fulla Award for illustrations for children and youth

1990 Honorary Mention in the competition the Most Beautiful Czechoslovak Books '89 for the book Adam v škole nesedel (Adam Didn't Go to School)
1996 Award of the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic in the competition the Most Beautiful Books of Slovakia '95 for the book Päť zázračníkov (Five Magicians)
2000 Mini Print International Prize, Cadáques, Spain

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Robert Brun