Charles Billich (born Karlo Bilić) is an artist living in

Sydney, Australia Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 km (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean ...

. His painting subjects include

Ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

and

sport Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...

and town planning,

eroticism Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...

and

classicism Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for a classical period, classical antiquity in the Western tradition, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. In its purest form, classicism is an aesthe ...

portrait A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face is always predominant. In arts, a portrait may be represented as half body and even full body. If the subject in full body better r ...

ure, and

stage Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly Brit ...

, as well as

Humanitarian Humanitarianism is an ideology centered on the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotiona ...

pieces and works of religious significance. In 2000, he received the Sport Artist of the Year Award presented annually by the American Sport Art Museum and Archives. Charles Billich conceived a series of images based on the Bing Ma Yong

Terracotta warriors The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE with the purpose of protecting him in his aft ...

. The Bing Ma Yong images are represented on a collection of 16 postage stamps currently in circulation in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

Biography

Charles Billich's works have hung in the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

, the

United Nations Headquarters The headquarters of the United Nations (UN) is on of grounds in the Turtle Bay, Manhattan, Turtle Bay neighborhood of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It borders First Avenue (Manhattan), First Avenue to the west, 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd ...

, and the

Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...

. Billich paints and draws in all

media Media may refer to: Communication * Means of communication, tools and channels used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Interactive media, media that is inter ...

and sculpts in precious and semi-precious metals. ''Humanity United'' was created from a brief extended to him by the

Australian Red Cross Australian Red Cross, formally Australian Red Cross Society, is a humanitarian aid and community services charity in Australia. Tracing its history back to 1914 and being incorporated by royal charter in 1941, Australian Red Cross Society is ...

to commemorate the 2001 Centenary of the

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...

. Dr

José Ramos-Horta José Manuel Ramos-Horta GCL GColIH (; born 26 December 1949) is an East Timorese politician. He has been the president of East Timor since 2022, having previously also held the position from 20 May 2007 to 20 May 2012. Previously he was Mini ...

, the then

Minister of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...

and Cooperation for

East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...

, requested he paint their Independence painting. In June 2004, Billich exhibited at the United Nations Headquarters in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

. Hosted by the UN Friendship Club, Billich was invited back with his ''Humanity United'' collection in September 2006. Inspired by his work "The Beijing Cityscape", the official image for the successful

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

bid to host the 2008

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

, Charles Billich conceived a series of images based on the Bing Ma Yong

Terracotta Warriors The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE with the purpose of protecting him in his aft ...

. The collection of images, portray the Bing Ma Yong Terracotta Warriors in a series of sporting compositions. In June 2004 Billich completed ''Jubilation China's 100 Year Olympic Dream Realised'' - a piece depicting the celebration that followed the announcement of China's to be the 2008 Olympic host nation. Billich created a cityscape painting of the 2008 Olympic Water Sports Venue

Qingdao Qingdao, Mandarin: , (Qingdao Mandarin: t͡ɕʰiŋ˧˩ tɒ˥) is a prefecture-level city in the eastern Shandong Province of China. Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, Qingdao was long an important fortress. In 1897, the city was ceded to G ...

, which has been presented to the Mayor and the Beijing Olympic Committee in

in July 2005. Billich also created ''The World In Union''. This is the official image of the

Rugby World Cup The Men's Rugby World Cup is a rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams, the winners of which are recognised as the World championship, world champions of the sport. The tournament is administer ...

2003. Charles Billich received the "Honorary Citizen of

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

" and the Key to the city during the Centennial Games; the title Sports Artist of the Year 2000, an Honorary Doctorate and the "Order of the Eagle Exemplar" from the

United States Sports Academy The United States Sports University is a private university focused on sports and located in Daphne, Alabama. It offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs as well as certificate programs. Founded in 1972, the academy has provided ...

and American Sport Art Museum. In 2004 he has also assumed the role of Trustee of this premier sports education facility. Billich has been decorated with the

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

Gold Order by the French Ministry of Sport for his contributions to the French Olympic Team during the

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

2000 Olympic Games.

Eco Art Parade 2009

Artist Charles Billich and HSH Prince Albert of Monaco

"Eco Art Parade 2009" was an environmental art exhibition in aid of the Prince Albert II Foundation of Monaco, themed around the Bonelli's Eagle, an endangered species of the Mediterranean, whose protection is supported by the Foundation. To honor the Bonelli's Eagle, Charles Billich presented a bronze sculpture of "The Order of the Golden Eagle", which was on display from 8 June to 8 October 2009 in the Principality of Monaco.

Awards

* Commander of the

Order of the Crown of Tonga The Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga (''Tongan language, Tongan: Fakalangilangi 'o Kalauni 'o Tonga'') is an Order (honour), Order of Merit awarded for exceptional services to Tonga and the Crown of Tonga. Currently, it is the highest honor that ...

(31 July 2008). * ''77th Honorary Shaolin Monk, Henan, China 2004'' * ''Milan & Spoleto Awards, Italy, 1989'' * ''Victorian Heritage & Cultural Award 1988'' * ''Centennial Olympic City, USA 1996'' * ''Honorary Citizen of Atlanta,1996'' * ''Order of the Eagle Exemplar, USA, 2000'' * ''Doctor Philosophy Honoris Causa-United States Sports Academy'' * ''Prints award/Gold Medal 1987/88'' * ''Spoleto Award, Italy, 1987''

References

External links

Official site – Australia and Asia

Official site – Europe

* * ttp://english.enorth.com.cn/system/2007/05/17/001665688.shtml "Olympic Artist Shows Painting: Magnificent Tianjin
"Sport Artist of the Year 2000: Charles Billich" (CCTV.com)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Billich, Charles 1934 births Living people People from Lovran 20th-century Croatian painters Croatian male painters 21st-century Croatian painters 21st-century Croatian male artists 21st-century Australian male artists Australian male painters Australian people of Croatian descent 20th-century Croatian male artists 20th-century Australian male artists Commanders of the Order of the Crown of Tonga 20th-century Australian artists