The portraits by Frlic are distinguished by their masterful, intuitive improvisation with which he adds to the distinctive bodily and facial physiognomy of the person depicted a healthy share of interpretation of their personal characteristics as he sees and feels them. It only appears as though he circumvents their generally acknowledged public image; for in fact he simply camouflages it to form an enigmatic composite. Frlic’s depiction of Tisnikar delve deep to get to the core of the story, searching for the essence, the spirit, even though the final image is more an expressive caricature than a flattering, polished tribute. Frlic is not like Pygmalion, falling most admiringly in love with what he created, but more akin to Doctor Frankenstein, awed by the product of his hands, which simultaneously serves as both a panegyric and as persiflage.

Text: Marko Košan