Self-portrait

      Vangel Kodzoman was born in Struga on the 14^th of February 1904. In 1923/1924 he received his high school certificate in Ohrid. In 1924-28 he graduated from the teaching department in the Art School in Bel¬grade (prof. Beta Vukanovic, Ljuba Ivanovic, I. Sobaic). In 1928 he continued his studies, in a two years academic course of art by professor Milan Milovanovic. Towards the end of the course he had a short study stay in Italy. After the nine month army service in Saraevo in 1931 he took a teaching post as an art teacher in the high school in Ohrid. From 1929, especially from 1936 to the beginning of the war he participated in the spring exhibitions of the Belgrade painters. In 1937 he took part in the exhibition of the independent painters of Belgrade called by the name "bojkotaska". In 1938-39 he received a post as an art teacher in the Seventh Boys High School in Belgrade, were he stayed till 1945. He took part in the cultural, artistic and sports life.

      In October, several days after the liberation of Belgrade he became a military painter in the Department of Propaganda in the General Staff of Macedonia with the aim for expansion of the plastic arts among the army and the population. He stayed on this position for six months, till the first of June 1945. After the demobilizatbn, towards the end of September 1945 he arrived in Skopje and was appointed a professor in the Art School, which was renamed in 1948 to the School of Applied Arts. He worked in this school till 1952. Vangel Kodzoman is one of the founders of DLUM (The Society of Macedonian Artists) in Skopje and was a member of its menagment for many years.

      Since 1945 he has taken part in the exhibitions organized by DLUM in Skopje as well as in the yugoslav centers as well. From 1952 he began to teach at the Teachers College in Skopje, teaching painting, methodology and art education till 1972. He taught many generations of young artists and pedagogues. In 1953 together with Licenoski and Martinoski he represented macedonian art at the grand exhibition "Half a century of Yugoslav painting 1900-1950" in the Modern Gallery in Zagreb. In 1955-56 he had a four month stay in Paris. In his Diary he will write: "After the stay in the metropolis my intensions became more brave and more affirmative, with a certain built up and with a development of a creative instinct".

      In 1974 in Struga he opened a permanent exhibition, a legacy to Struga with the theme Struga in the past, in the memorial home of Vangel Kodzoman, with 30 oil paintings and water colours. In 1975 he was elected a corresponding member of MANU (Macedonian Academy of Arts aad Sciences) and a regular member in 1981. He received several awards: the 8^th November prize of the town of Struga in 1975, the October prize of the Macedonian state for life achievment 1969, AVNOJ (Yugoslav prize) 1979, the 13^th November prize of the city of Skopje.

      Solo exhibitions: Skopje - 1938, 1958, 1972, 1976, 1981, 1994; Struga - 1961, 1962, 1974; Toronto - 1975; Berline - 1984.