Using meticulous technique, Michael Gorban creates a realistic sense that integrates childhood memories and forgotten places from the Ukrainian village he once lived in. Gorban’s handprint is distinctly recognizable on the canvas. He consciously uses and applies color in a premeditated manner to guide the observer’s sensitivities. Gorban paints with the highest precision. The way he sees and observes communicates keen and amazingly powerful realism.
The subjects of the painting are primarily presented visually in the center of the picture. Gorban does not depict dramatic events; neither are these paintings imbued with any national-social-political-religious meaning. They are introspective paintings, sometimes devoid of movement, almost without human figures or vehicles, bearing many meanings for the artist’s sensitivities and his responses to life and reality. Some naïve charm, harmony and sentimentality are evident, as stylized narrative descriptions merge with nature and human reality.
A poetic atmosphere pervades the paintings, and a sense of silence and calm envelopes them. These paintings are far from being conceptual, heroic or lofty. They direct one’s attention to the poetical in the mundane. Gorban displays control over composition, relationships between objects, rhythm, and color harmony. He paints the reality of longing that belongs to the emotional and spiritual world, while emphasizing the color scheme suckled by nature, light, and the colorfulness of his childhood haunts. Revealed in each painting are beauty and exceptional colors, in a pleasing, intimate harmony, thereby creating a symphony of gradually changing hues at sunset or sunrise.
1981: "Speech and Peace" exhibition, Moscow
1983: "The Land and the People" exhibition, Moscow
1985: "Forty Years of Victory Over the Nazis" exhibition, Moscow
Participated in numerous exhibitions organized by the Artists Association of Moldavia
1986: Participated in several European exhibitions organized by West German banks,
featuring artistic works from the 16th century to the present
1987-90: Participated in young artists' exhibitions throughout the Soviet Union
1991: One-man show - Tirosh Gallery, Tel Aviv
One-man show - Artexpo California
One-man show - Yurek Gallery, Ramat Hasharon
Art Hamburg exhibition
1992: One-man show - Ludmilla Wagner Gallery, Munich
1993: TIAS - Tokyo International Art Show
One-man show - J. Richards Gallery. New Jersey
1993-95: Artexpo New York
1994: Artexpo Las Vegas
1995: One-man show - Contemporary Fine Arts Gallery, La Jolla, California
Artexpo Las Vegas
One-man show - Regal Gallery, Carmel, California
1996: One-man show - Regal Gallery, San Francisco, California
One-man show - Contemporary Fine Arts Gallery, La Jolla, California
Artexpo New York
1997: One-man show - Regal Gallery, Carmel, California
One-man show - Contemporary Fine Arts Gallery, La Jolla, California
Artexpo New York
Art Forum - Tokyo
One-man shows in Tokyo, Osaka
Art Forum - Japan
Exhibition tour in Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Fujiyama, Totory
1998: One-man show - The Caitlyn Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri
One-man show - Regal Gallery, Carmel, California
One-man show - Contemporary Fine Arts Gallery, La Jolla, California
Artexpo New York
Image '98 - Amsterdam
1999: One-man show - Gallery One, Denver, Colorado
One-man show - Caitlyn Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri
One-man show - Regal Gallery, Carmel, California
Artexpo New York
2000: One-man show - Sutton Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
One-man show - Vally Bronze, Cannon Beach, Oregon
Artexpo New York
2001: Art Forum - Japan
Exhibition tour in various cities throughout Japan
One-man show - Sargent's Fine Art, Maui, Hawaii
One-man show - Gallery One, Denver, Colorado
One-man show - Central Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
One-man show - Valley Bronze, Cannon Beach, Oregon
One-man show - Contemporary Fine Arts Gallery, La Jolla, California
Artexpo New York
2002: One-man show - Masters Gallery, Vail, Colorado
One-man show - Gallery One, Denver, Colorado
One-man show - Sargent's Fine Art, Maui, Hawaii
One-man show - Glickman House, Ramat Hasharon, Israel
One-man show - Galerie d'Art Francais, New Orleans, Louisiana
One-man show - Regal Gallery, Carmel, California
One-man show - Masters Gallery, Denver, Colorado
Artexpo New York
2003: One –man show – Sargen't Fine Art, Maui, Hawaii
One –man show – Regal Gallery, Carmel, CA
Artexpo New York
Group show – Museum Bar David, Israel
2004: One-man show – Gibson Gallery, Carmel, California
One-man show – Sargent's Fine Art, Maui, Hawaii
Artexpo New York
2005: One-man show – Hallmark Galleries, La Jolla, California
Artexpo New York
2006: One-man show – Gallery Rive Gauche, New Orleans, Louisiana
Artexpo New York
Group show – Metro Convention Center, Toronto, Canada
2007: One-man show - Gallery Rive Gauche, New Orleans, Louisiana
Group show – Designer's Walk, Toronto, Canada
Artexpo New York
Artexpo Las Vegas
2008: One-man show – Gibson Gallery, Carmel, California
One-man show - Gallery Rive Gauche, New Orleans, Louisiana
Group show – Gallery 133, Toronto, Canada
Lineart 2008 – Ghent, Belgium
2009: Jacob Pichman Award
2009: One-man show – Dizengof Museum, Tel Aviv
Group show – The Azrieli collection, Tel Aviv Museum
2014: Group show – The Saint Louis University Museum of Art
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