Hervé Lancelin about Slavko Kopac

Listen to me carefully, you bunch of snobs: if you have never heard of Slavko Kopac, it is not because he lacked talent, but because we collectively failed to look where the essential was played out. While Parisian galleries marvelled at established sinatures, this man born in Vinkovci in 1913 silently built one of the most singular bodies of work of the 20th century. Not in the spotlight, but in the fertile shadow of Art Brut, alongside Jean Dubuffet, André Breton, and Michel Tapié.

At a time when the art market reaches obscene speculative heights, where schools multiply degrees and certifications, where official contemporary art often seems imprisoned by its own codes, Kopac’s example resonates as a salutary call. It reminds us that true art is measured neither by price nor by notoriety, but by the ability to touch the essential, to dive into the dark depths where lie the pearls of common humanity.

Kopac was a Delian diver who resurfaced with treasures whose value we are only beginning to perceive. He was also facilitator who spent his life promoting the work of the other creators. This dual activity, creating and revealing, defines his exemplary nature. In a narcissistic era where everyone seeks to shine, Kopac deliberately chose the shadow cast by Art Brut. This choice was not a renunciation, but an affirmation: art truly exists only when it circulates, when it builds bridges between people, when it recognizes the creative dignity of every human being.

If we had to retain a single lesson from Kopac, it might be this: freedom in art is always paid for dearly, but it remains the only good worth conquering. Kopac paid for his freedom by giving up a brilliant commercial career. He paid for his freedom by dedicating decades to a collection that did not bear his name. He paid for his freedom by staying away from schools and sects. But this price, he gladly paid, because he knew that without freedom, art is just another trade, a simple production of decorative goods.

Excerpt from a review published on the Art Critic magazine portal. Read the full review on the following link:

https://www.artcritic.com/en/slavko-kopac-a-master-at-the-margins-of-the-visible/