Wine & books, 2004

Dima Gorban  

Dima began painting early, at seven years old. He immediately adored everything related to art, and the fact that his elder brother, Michael – five years his senior, has also been a painter for as far back as Dima can remember, only fanned the flames of his enthusiasm.

Dima was born in the former Soviet Union in 1961, and moved to Kishinev with his family when he was three. He started art studies at age ten at the Kishinev School of Art, and received an award for being the most promising young artist in the school. In 1980 Dima completed his studies at the Higher School for the Painting Arts in Kishinev, and began showing his work at group exhibitions throughout Moldavia. He quickly reached Moscow as well, and two of his sketches were on permanent exhibit in the Drawing Department of the Moscow Film Academy. He finished his formal studies in 1989 at the Lviv Academy for Painting, which his brother also attended.

In 1990 Dima and his family immigrated to Israel. It was rough at first, and Dima made his living as a graphic designer for a well-known textile manufacturer. It was not long before he became a prominent name in the field, and t-shirts featuring his designs were sold in numerous countries.

But then he grew homesick for his first love – painting, which he had neglected for many years. The resounding success of his big brother Michael, who had meanwhile received recognition as one of the most outstanding young artists in Israel, likewise spurred Dima to return to his artistic roots.

In recent years Dima has been a full-time artist. His unique, precise style, interior paintings and especially his modern compositions with their characteristic bold colors, his deep affinity for wine emanating from the canvas, have captivated art lovers in galleries throughout the world.