Michael Worobec’s work has always been motivated by the pressures of social norms and the constructs of faith and belief structures. Often male in their hierarchy, the power and manipulation of societies are enforced by Patriarchs. This mix of the individual and the society, both in competition for supremacy, is a balance that fascinates him. How much freedom can one person achieve when these forces are present? These manipulations of power are a desperate attempt to gain the upper hand and maintain the status quo. In short, tradition.

As a gay man, brought up Catholic, both in the Roman and Orthodox traditions, his mother Italian and father Ukrainian, have left Michael, on many occasions, in turmoil and despair as these huge religious dictums crashed into his world. Moral structures and commands did not sit well with his liberal and progressive feelings and resulted in many years of anxiety and self-doubt. Art and the creative process have always been companions in this journey of self-knowledge and acceptance and have given him a voice to express his passion for social justice and freedom.

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