Vodopivec was born on 11 April 1951 in Ljubljana. He studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana (1970-1974, under Professors Zdenko Kalin and Drago Tršar). He went on to pursue post-graduate studies in sculpture in the class of Drago Tršar at the same academy between 1974 and 1976. From 1979 to 1980 he studied at the New York Studio School in the USA in the classes of W. Tucker and S. Geist as a recipient of the Barnett Newman scholarship. After his return he worked as a freelance artist. Since 1984 he has been a lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana (since 1990 associate professor of sculpture), where he has helped shape a strong generation of young sculptors. In 1986 he exhibited at the Venice Biennial and in 1994 at the Sao Paulo Biennial in Brasil. He has received the Zlata Ptica Award (Golden Bird; 1976) and the Jakopič Award (1992). He has devoted his life to creating sculpture (mostly in stone and concrete, and lately other materials as well) and teaching.

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