Michael Gorman obtained a Fine Art degree from Newcastle University in 1969. One of the major teaching influences there, was the artist Richard Hamilton.
A subject of great interest and excitement, was the explosion of colour and imagery of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, brought about by developments in colour printing, which were visible in magazines, films and advertising. These technologies transformed the visual environment.
He experimented with airbrush effects and various techniques to extend and develop the resolution of quality colour photography and the open colour dot formations, which could build up the large scale poster – the pixel factor. Early examples of his work were exhibited at “The Serpentine Gallery” 1972. The imagery tended to be drawn from popular culture.
The direction of his work and its derivations, led to his inclusion in the important exhibitions associated with The Hyper Realist Movement. He was invited to exhibit in the 1974 “John Moore’s Exhibition”, Liverpool, and in “The British Realists” at The Ikon Gallery, Birmingham. The British Art establishment made a luke warm gesture towards embracing the movement.
It was his inclusion in the survey exhibition,”Aspects of Reality”, touring Canada in 1976, which placed him amongst the leading figures world wide. Nicholas Treadwell, the London based art dealer, successfully gathered a number of artists broadly sharing an interest in urban subject matter and hyper realist technique.
From the mid 1970’s – mid 1980’s, these artists had an international platform, through the emerging art fairs in Basle, Switzerland and Dusseldorf, Germany. In 1977 Michael Gorman was invited to exhibit in “Mythologies Quotidiennes” at the “Musee d’Art Moderne”, Paris, and in 1979 in the “Grands et Jeunes d’Aujourd’hui”, at “Le Grand Palais”, Paris.
Exhibitions followed at “The Gallerie Naviglio”,Milan, Italy,”Katzen Galleries”, New York, and in several international venues.
His personal style of imagery includes, classical and Renaissance architecture, formal gardens, land and seascapes, with the female nude giving a warm sensuous feel, often combined with a tranquil timeless atmosphere. Nineteenth century pointillist colour theory, exerts a great influence on the creation of the images.
In 1989, he left his lecturing position at Exeter College of Art, to concentrate solely on his own paintings in Umbria, Italy, Dartmoor and Cyprus.
The next Cyprus exhibition; “The Blue Iris Gallery”, 20 Ioanni Agroti, Pafos 13th-27th May 2017.
Find out more at www.gormanpaintings.co.uk
