Studying with Jose
de Creeft and Hans Hofmann as a teacher, Goldberg's artistic destiny
was determined. His work was influenced by Hofmann, with whom
he studied for two years, and by Matta and Arshile Gorky. But
it was Willem de Kooning, and his use of fiery brushwork and explosive
color, who would prove to be Goldberg's greatest influence.
However, like many
contemporary abstractionists, Goldberg has explored a variety
of styles and approaches. With anything and everything allowable
in the modern aesthetic, and the tides of fashion and influence
shifting so rapidly and completely, there has been no fundamental,
pervasive, dependable artistic style, point-of-view or attitude
to keep artists grounded and directed.
Therefore, it is not
unexpected that Goldberg painted works as widely divergent from
his Abstract Expressionist beginnings as monochromatic minimalist
paintings, grids, calligraphy and pattern or stripe paintings.
Michael Goldberg's
work is in the collections of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo,
New York; Baltimore Museum of Art; Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk,
Virginia; De Cordova and Dana Museum, Lincoln, Massachusetts;
and the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, among others
|