Curricilum vitae

Free-Line artist, Vice-President of the Artists Union of Republic of Moldova

"In the works presented here I tried to create "my own system" through the use of synthesis of different types and genres of art, characters of different epochs and cultures - principled, total eclecticism, destined to open the window into some non-existent world.

Although it is difficult, my work is done with great pleasure."

Mihai Brunea

Born in 1949 in the village Cucuruzeni, Orhei, Moldova. In 1974 he graduated from the State University in Chisinau Physics Department. Since 1988 - member of the Union of Artists of Moldova. Laureate of the International Contest "The Art of Book", Moscow, the Exhibition-Contest "Moldova's Salons", Fourth edition, 1994, Bacau-Chisinau, laureate of Moldova Republic Contest "The Art of Book"

Since early youth Mihai was interested in arts. He grew up in an well educated family. His father was agriculturist, and mother - a teacher. The atmosphere in their family was favorable for arts: they had many books in different languages (Mihai's parents freely spoke in few European languages). In spite of the great poverty their family was in Mihai since he was a kid had a pretty good idea about the art, because his dad was collecting postcards with reproductions of paintings of famous artists. Although they were of poor quality they gave him an idea about one or the other artist. He still has his father's collection in his workshop.

Mihai's father was quite conservative in his views about art, and Mihai himself followed his father's views and gave up on arts. That's when he decided to enter Physics faculty at the Technical University in Chisinau. However, at the university library, instead of reading books and magazines on his specialty, he would often browse through different art catalogues and read novels.

Upon graduation he became a teacher of physics at a school, and later - an engineer. That's when he started drawing illustrations for his favorite books, and created hid first satiric-allegorical compositions using pen and ink.

This interest led him to a new occupation - he started collaborating with different publishing houses in Chisinau. Pretty soon this interest grew up into profession and a breadwinner. He illustrated more than a hundred books in the last 20 years.

When Soviet Union crumbled the publishing system became weak and working in book illustration Mihai could no longer earn enough money to support his family. This was the time when he decided to try something different - something people never knew existed before.

What Mihai Brunea is doing now is not sculpture, although it is 3-dimensional, it is not painting, although it is colorful, and it is not graphics although some graphing skills can be traced in his creatings. This is his own technique he calls it a "dummy".

Awards:

1984 "Art of Book", Chisinau, the 1984 Moldavian Republican Prize
1985 - "Art of Book", Chisinau, the 1985 Moldavian Republican Prize
1989 - "Art of Book", Moscow, the Soviet Union Prize
1994 - "Saloanele Moldovei", the Moldo - Romanian Prize

Personal Exhibitions:

2002 - Chisinau, Moldova
1993 - Rome, Italy
1991 - Moscow, Russia
1990 - Harare, Zimbabwe
1988 - Chisinau, Moldova

Group Exhibitions:
Since the 1977 participates in the majority of republican exhibitions and representative art exhibitions in other countries.

1995 - Bratislava, Children Book Illustration Biennale
1995 - Barcelona, Children Book Illustration Biennale
1990, 1994 - Chisinau - Bacau, "Saloanele Moldovei"
1989 - Chisinau, the Experimental Art Exhibition
1981, 1983, 1985, 1989 - Moscow, International Book Exhibition
1980 - Chisinau, the Young Artists Exhibition
1978 - Chisinau, the Autumnal Exhibition
1977 - Chisinau, the First Illustration Exhibition

Acquisitions:
Private collections in Afghanistan, Argentine, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, USA, Israel, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia; Museums in Moldova and Romania.