Some people with their work have indelibly entered into our memory. Laco Torma, one of the most significant and most distinctive Slovak cartoonists, among them certainly belongs. Just this year he celebrated his round anniversary – 60 years and he is focused on his artistic activity already respectable 40 years. Without any hesitation, we can say that his place in Slovak cartooning is permanent and irreplaceable. He brought into it his original ideational message depicted with excellent art technique. Right from the beginning, he presented himself with the creative work of extraordinary quality and since then he has constantly perfected it. His sensitivity to universal human themes, precise art feeling and a huge talent predetermined him for superior performance on the field of graphic humor. Famous are mainly his extensive thematic cycles and usage of special symbols. He never remains on the surface, but tirelessly and with precision of a surgeon “dissects the problem” to the very marrow. And at a time when it would seem that to go further and deeper is no longer possible, Laco Torma comes with a completely new, surprising sight that shows us the world from a different, unusual perspective. This quality of his creative work, of course, could not be unnoticed – for his impressive drawings he received numerous prestigious awards at home and abroad. Dear Laco, we wish you still a lot of fertile creative years. Your artworks allow us to see brighter and more.
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Laco Torma was born on 17th June 1953 in Valtice, district of Breclav (now Czech Republic). He attended primary school in Sered and Trebisov (Slovakia), secondary education he received in Opava (now Czech Republic). Between 1972 – 1977 he studied at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava (Slovakia). Since 1973, he publishes his cartoons in periodicals such as Rohac, Literarny tyzdennik, Domino forum, Mosty, Sme, Automagazin, Golf revue, Nebelspalter (Switzerland). In 1997, his first illustrated book – Miroslav Proksa: “Chemistry”, which was followed later by other publications illustrated in co-authorship. In 1998 he issued booklet “Prasacinky”, in which published his drawings and aphorisms of famous Slovak writer Tomas Janovic. After its success he issued in 2002 “Prasacinky 2″, where the aphorisms of Janovic were accompanied by drawings of major domestic and foreign cartoonists; in 2003 “Prasacinky 3″; and in 2008 “Prasacinky 4″ with drawings of the Slovak and Czech cartoonists. He also cooperates on the projects “Bratislava coffee” and “Death in Pink” with the famous Slovak poet Lubomir Feldek. Laco Torma is devoted to advertising, graphic design and exhibition design. He lives and works in Bratislava.
Collective exhibitions at home: (Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, Czech Republic):
Praha (20 times), Hradec Kralove (twice), Rychnov nad Kneznou, Znojmo (3 times), Ostrava, Bratislava (26 times), Nove Mesto nad Vahom (4 times), Kremnica (4 times), Pezinok (4 times), Nitra, Galanta, Komarno, Sturovo, Sahy, Kolarovo, Spisska Nova Ves, Presov, Banska Stiavnica, Nitra – Gallery of Bolek Polivka (Valasský senk), Bratislava – Slovak National Museum, Svaty Jur, Nitrianske Pravno, Danubiana – Bratislava (project Art of tolerance)
Collective exhibitions abroad:
Warsaw (Poland); Moscow /twice/, Vladivostok (Russia); Sofia /twice/, Varna, Tarnov, Gabrovo, Pazardzik (Bulgaria); Bukurest /twice/, Braila, Calarasi, Konstanca (Romania); Berlin, Esslingen (Germany); Vienna, Feldkirchen (Austria); London /twice/, Ayr (Great Britain); Brugge /twice/, Oostende /4 times/ (Belgium); Amstelween (Holland); Saint Just le Martel /4 times/ (France); Trento /twice/ (Italy); Istanbul /twice/, Ankara /twice/ (Turkey); Haifa (Izrael); Osaka /twice/ (Japan ); Seoul (South Korea); Recife, Teresina (Brazil); Budapest, Nyireghaza, Bekescsaba (Hungary), travelling exhibition in Mexico; Krakow (Poland); Leipzig (Nemecko), travelling exhibition in Guatemala.
Collective exhibitions of EX LIBRIS:
- 2004 – Palfy Palace Bratislava (Slovakia); Vienna (Austria)
- 2005 – Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic)
- 2006 – Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic)
Individual exhibitions:
- 1978 – Olomouc (Czech Republic), Minigalerie v podloubi
- 1986 – Bratislava (Slovakia), Smena Gallery
- 1987 – Nitra (Slovakia), Sports areal
- 1989 – Kremnica (Slovakia), Kremnica gags
- 1990 – Trento (Italy), Cultural centre
- 1998 – Bratislava (Slovakia), Cafe Gallery
- 2000 – Bratislava (Slovakia), Studio L&S
- 2000 – Skalica (Slovakia), Kultúrny dom
- 2003 – Kosice (Slovakia), Vychodoslovenska Gallery
- 2003 – Spisska Nova Ves (Slovakia), Gallery of the artists of Spis
- 2003 – Topolcany (Slovakia), Tribec museum
- 2003 – Presov (Slovakia), Saris Gallery
- 2004 – Bratislava (Slovakia), Cunovo, Danubiana Gallery
- 2005 – Trencin (Slovakia), City Gallery
- 2006 – Partizanske (Slovakia), House of Culture
- 2008 – Prag (Czech Republic), Club Manes
- 2009 – Bratislava (Slovakia), Caffe 66
- 2010 – Bratislava (Slovakia), Caffe 66
Awards:
- 1985 – Novomestsky osten, Nove Mesto nad Vahom (Slovakia) – Honorable mention
- 1986 – Prag (Czech Republic), 2nd Prize and Jury Prize at the exhibition Sporthumor “EMIL”
- 1987 – Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic), Humorest Prize
- 1987 – Prag (Czech Republic), Honorable mention – EMIL
- 1988 – Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic), Humorest main prize
- 1989 – Nove Mesto nad Vahom (Slovakia), Novomestsky osten, 3rd Prize and Bronze Osten Award
- 1989 – Trento (Italy), 1st Prize
- 1990 – Vladivostok (Russia), 2nd Prize
- 1991 – Trento (Italy), Honorable mention
- 1991 – Nove Mesto nad Vahom (Slovakia), Novomestsky osten, 2nd Prize and Silver Osten Award
- 1994 – Amstelveen (Holland), Honorable mention
- 1996 – Bratislava (Slovakia), Honorable mention – Architecture ´96
- 1997 – Istanbul (Turkey), Honorable mention
- 2000 – Haifa (Izrael), 2nd Prize
- 2003 – Banska Stiavnica (Slovakia), Honorable mention – “Nature and landscape protection”
- 2004 – Banska Stiavnica (Slovakia), 1st Prize – “Nature and landscape protection”
- 2004 – Hlohovec (Slovakia), 1st Prize
- 2006 – Kosice (Slovakia), 2nd Prize
- 2008 – Hlohovec (Slovakia), 1st Prize
- 2009 – Bratislava (Slovakia), 1st Prize – Olympic games
- 2009 – Nove Mesto nad Vahom (Slovakia), Novomestsky osten, 3rd Prize and Bronze Osten Award
- 2009 – Prag (Czech Republic), Honorable mention
- 2010 – Presov (Slovakia), Int. Cartoon Contest Golden Keg, 3rd Prize
- 2013 – Kremnica (Slovakia), European Festival of Humor and Satire, Golden Gander Award
*****
We invite you into the world seen through the eyes of a brilliant Slovak cartoonist Laco Torma. His wonderful and often frightening artworks uncompromisingly force us to think whether the path along which we are walking leads to where we want to go.
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previous exhibition 
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