Charles Billich
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Charles Billich (born 1934, in Lovran, Croatia) was named Official Artist of the 1996 Summer Olympics. He is the recipient of the 2000 Sport Artist of the Year Award presented annually by the American Sport Art Museum and Archives.
He was named Official Artist of commemorating the centenary of the presentation of the first Nobel Prize for Peace to Red Cross founder Henry Dunant.
Inspired by his work entitled The Beijing Cityscape, the official image for the successful Beijing bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, he has conceived a sensational series of images based on the Bing Ma Yong Terracotta warriors. So well received has this work been that Bing Ma Yong images are represented on a collection of 16 postage stamps currently in circulation in China a first for an as to the cultural worth of this collection.
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[edit] Biography
Charles Billich exceptional spirit and talent have been forged by many dramatic personal experiences in a career spanning some forty years and have taken him to the highest pinnacles of artistic success, among which he counts the honour of having his work hung in the Vatican. Billich paints and draws in all media and sculpts in precious and semi-precious metals. He describes his work as surrealist.
He paints from what he sees around him. Ballet and sport, architecture and town planning, eroticism and classicism, portraiture and stage, all provide the imagery of his work, and always in a way that challenges the norm. Sport and movement have always been conduits for the immensely talented Billich and much of his work is fuelled by these inspirations. As a fitting balance to this Humanitarian pieces and works of Religious significance are also within the focus of the Artist. Colour, drama, compassion, humanity, the distilled elements of artist Charles Billich life and work, generate the visual impact of his internationally acclaimed achievement, "Humanity United" the stirring creation from a brief extended him by the Red Cross to commemorate the 2001 Centenary of the Nobel Prize for Peace.
It was a brief made poignant by the deprivations suffered during a youthful incarceration as a political prisoner in Yugoslavia which ended only with the intervention of the Red Cross. The original oil can be seen in the United Nation's Great Hall in Geneva, Switzerland.
Billich was honoured when Dr Jose Ramos Horta, Minister Of Foreign Affairs For East Timor requested he paint their official independence painting to honour the determination, courage and patience that the East Timorese have shown in their successful bid for independence Billich again fused humanity and fine art when he exhibited at the United Nations Headquarters New York in June 2004.
Hosted by the UN Friendship Club and in another first for an Australian Artist Billich has been invited back with his "Humanity United" collection in September 2006.
Inspired by his work entitled The Beijing Cityscape, the official image for the successful Beijing bid to host the 2008Olympic Games, Charles Billich has conceived a sensational series of images based on the Bing Ma Yong Terracotta Warriors. These world heritage listed historic treasures have been transposed through the art of Billich into images of the New Millennium, imbuing them with a new life and an everlasting future. The Collection of Images, portray the Bing Ma Yong Terracotta Warriors in a series of fabulous sporting compositions challenging the conventions of space and time.
Fostering further his commitment to China and Beijing 2008 Billich in June 2004 completed "Jubilation China's 100 Year Olympic Dream Realised" - a piece depicting the triumph, joy and celebration that followed the announcement of China's victory in the quest to be the next Olympic host nation.
His Olympic involvement continues having created official images for the Australian and US Teams for Athens 2004 and in this vein a symbolic cityscape painting of the 2008 Olympic Water sports venue QingDao has been presented to the Mayor and Beijing Olympic committee in QingDao in July 2005.
Demonstrating that his skills have no boundaries on the playing field of sports art and in a fitting gesture Billich created" The World In Union". This is the official image of Rugby World Cup 2003 and captures the essence of this great sporting event together with an artistic design that is unmistakably representative of the host nation.
Charles Billich has received the coveted "Honorary Citizen of Atlanta" and the Key to the City during the Centennial Games; the title Sports Artist of the Year 2000, an Honorary Doctorate and the "Order of the Eagle Exemplar" - three of the world's most prestigious awards from the United States Sports Academy and Sport Art Museum. In 2004 he has assumed the role of Trustee of this premier sports education facility. He has been decorated with the Olympic Gold Order by the French Ministry of Sport for his contributions to the French Olympic Team during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
A master craftsman, he has exhibited at some of the world's best venues; has been an honoured guest and resident artist on many occasions and the recipient of many prizes, such as the Spoleto Prize in Italy. His editions and originals adorn boardrooms, galleries and collections across five continents.
Charles Billich dreams of a "peaceful, harmonious world, its values determined by compassion and man's inherent nobility of spirit." His work reflects that spiritual optimism and exhilarates.
[edit] Collections
- The Vatican Collection, Rome
- United Nations Heardquarters, Geneva
- Ferrari Collection, Milan
- Shaolin Temple, China
- International Red Cross Museum, Geneva
- International Olympic Museum, Lausanne
- Museum of Modern Art Mobile, Alabama
Art Bank Commonwealth of Australia; City of Düsseldorf, Germany; Brisbane City Hall Art Gallery; The Parliament of Victoria; Australian Embassy to Germany; Australian Embassy to Croatia; Hall of Congress, Washington D.C., Queensland Art Gallery; U.S. Sports Academy; Royal Collection, Kuala Lumpur; City of Melbourne; Government Utah, USA; Government East Timor; Central Queensland University, Rockhampton; The City of Sydney; Embassy of Croatia, Canberra; Australian Embassy to Japan; City of Kanagawa, Japan; USA Australian Olympic Committee Headquarters, Sydney; New York State Govt. Port Authority; The Royal Collection of Thailand; Parliament House, Dili, East Timor; Exhibition Building, Melbourne; Royal Australian Air Force; Rockhampton Gallery, Qld; The City of Hakodate, Japan; The City of Osaka, Japan; State Theatre, Sydney; The Parliament of Japan; City of Rijeka, Croatia; NSW Government, Australia; Beijing Olympic Organising Committee; City Of QingDao China;
[edit] Recent appointments
- Official Artist for Australian Olympic Team, Beijing 2008
- Official Artist for US Olympic Team, Beijing 2008
- Official Artist Carnivale Christi 2004/2005
- Artistic Patron Sydney Polo Club 2004
- Official Artist for Australian Olympic Teams, Athens 2004
- Official Artist for US Olympic Teams, Athens 2004
- Official Artist for Australia Day Regatta 2001 - 2006
- Trustee United States Sports Academy
- Patron NSW Chin Woo Athletics Association
- Official Artist Sydney Greek Festival 2004
- Official artist for Rugby World Cup, 2003
- Official Artist for East Timor Independence Day, 2002
- Artist for United States Olympic Committee, 2002/2003
- Commissioned to commemorate 100th anniversary of Nobel Peace Prize, 2001
- Sports Artist of the Year, 2000
- Official Artist for the Australian and US Olympic Team, Sydney 2000
- Artist Beijing Olympic Bid, 1999-2000
- Official Artist for the Australian and US Olympic Team, Atlanta 1996
- Official Artist to the 1996 Formula 1 Grand Prix, Melbourne, 1996
- Commemorative Centenary Painting, Australian Football League, 1996
and more.
[edit] Awards
- 77 TH Shaolin Monk Henan China 2004
- Milan & Spoleto Award, Italy, 1989
- Victorian Heritage & Cultural Award 1988
- Centennial Olympic City, USA 1996
- Honorary Citizen of Atlanta,1996
- Order of the Eagle Exemplar, USA, 2000
- Doctor Philosophy Honoris Causa-United States Sports Academy
- Prints award/Gold Medal 1987/88
- Spoleto Award, Italy, 1987
[edit] Published resources
- USA Sports Academy Publication, 2000
- Billich Art Armanae, Grafiche Nicolini Editore, Italy 2000
- 2000 Outstanding Artists and Designers of the 20th Century, England
- "Billich 1998", Croatian Club for International Cooperation, 1998
- Artists & Galleries of Australia
- Billich 1971-1991(Editalia)
- Encyclopedia of Australian Art
- Australian Impressionist & Realist Artists
- Who's Who of Australian Visual Artists
- Contemporary Australians 1995/96
- Who's Who in Australia 1997, 1998, 1999
