Joze Ciuha (1924-2105) was a famous Slovenian artist. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He graduated in 1950 and then specialized for wall painting with professor Slavko Pengov.
During the study tours Ciuha visited Austria, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Poland and the Soviet Union. He also travel to Macedonia aroused his interest in the heritage of Byzantium and the East in general. Painter studied Buddhist art and philosophy at the University of Rangoon, Mianmar in the period 1959-1961. At that time he visited India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia. In 1964 and 1965 he traveled to South America in the first place to get to know Indian civilization. He visited Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia. He brought home a lot of sketches and drawings from these travelings which he later use in his work. He described encounters with these ancient cultures in three books . In 1965, Ciuha was a guest of the University of West Michigan, and on this occasion traveled the United States and Mexico. In the seventies Ciuha led the seminar for painting at the International Summer Academy in Salzburg. For many years, he was doing illustration, and beside painting and graphics he did tapestry, design and costume.
He had over 400 solo exhibitions and as many group exhibitions around the world. He has won numerous major awards. His artworks are found in many museums, galleries, public buildings and in numerous private collectors. Ciuha is a member of the Russian Academy of Arts. Besides painting deals with graphics, mosaic and literature.