The main elements featuring in Bogdan Borčić’s exhibition From a Seashell to a Dot are numerous depictions of seashells, sea snails and sea urchins. Borčić used the seashell as an important element as early as in the 1960s. From 1970 and up until 2014 the shell turned into the key element of his works. In 2014, however, he created his last monochromatic (black) painting of sea snails forming a type of a mesh spread throughout the surface. It was supposed to adorn the centre of his last painting in blue, which is also on display in Bežigrad Gallery 2.

As the 1970s drew to an end, seashells and sea snails slowly transformed into various geometrical shapes and dots. Soon enough the dot became the main (and only) element in his works. Even his prints turned into monochromatic and nearly white surfaces.

This exhibition presents almost one hundred works, including drawings, prints (etching, watercolour, screen printing), etching plates, paintings, assemblages, objects and sketchbooks.

In addition, photographs of his atelier in Slovenj Gradec add a special touch to the exhibition.
Miloš Bašin

From existence into substance through transformation of a seashell into a dot
At the beginning of the 1970s a huge shift occurred in Borčić’s works. His graphic prints started featuring a new form that he carefully shaped throughout the years into a meaningful and omnipresent symbol. This new shape is the seashell. When he introduced it, the space changed too. He started breaking the two-dimensional surface to create a new space in between the two surfaces.  Seashells replaced fishing motifs, which points to duality at play in both nature and humans. The duality is shown through the contrast between the hard symmetrical shell and its fragile subtle core.
Eva Šuster

Bogdan Borčić was born on 26 September 1926 in Ljubljana where he lived until 1980. In the period 19431–1944 he attended Matej Sternen’s painting course and France Gorše's drawing course. In 1944 he was interned at Dachau. After World War II he in 1950 graduated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana (with professors F. Mihelič, G. A. Kos, B. Jakac, R. Debenjak, N. Pirnat and S. Pengov). Two years later he finished his post-graduate studies in painting with Prof Gabrijel Stupica.

From 1952 to 1957 he taught drawing and art history at Novo Mesto high school. For ten years he worked as the head of the fine arts department of the Aesthetic Education Centre (later renamed Pionirski Dom). Borčić embarked on various study trips around Europe and developed his creativity in Johnny Friedlaender’s atelier in Paris from 1958 to 1959. In addition, he was a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts first at the department of painting (from 1969 to 1973) and then at the department of printmaking (from 1973 to 1984). In 1979 he held a series of lectures at the printmaking department of the Fine Arts Academy in Mons, Belgium. He staged around 190 solo exhibitions and participated in many more around the world. Borčić received over fifty awards and acknowledgements in Slovenia and elsewhere. His works are featured in prominent collections in Slovenia and abroad.

He worked in drawing, painting, printmaking and objects.

He lived in Slovenj Gradec since 1980 where he died on 24 April 2014.