A Wonderful Artistic Legacy: Thank you to the Balaban Family!
Dr. Mihai Balaban, formerly an anesthesiologist at the Lakeshore General Hospital, (LGH) who came to Québec from Romania after finishing his medical studies, had two passions in life—medicine and the visual arts. After completing his internship and residency at the Montréal General Hospital, he came to the LGH, where he spent over 20 years.
Throughout that time, his colleagues were unaware of his second passion. In his lifetime, Dr. Balaban painted more than 200 works, as well as creating dozens of sculptures. He was modest and never wanted to exhibit his works in galleries or sell his paintings. “For him, it was a way of getting away from things, relaxing, and exploring other facets of his personality,” says his wife, Adriana Balaban. “He didn’t want this passion to overshadow his professional work.”
Dr. Balaban was clearly a very talented man and explored a number of different styles, including portraiture, landscapes, and figurative art. He also created sculptures in various media, including aluminum and ceramic.
After his death in 2018, his family decided to share his impressive collection and to offer selected works to the community. Over a dozen canvases were donated to the LGH and now adorn the walls in various sectors of the facility. They can be seen in the main entrance, the corridor leading to the pharmacy, and even in the radiology waiting room on the 5th floor. Another large-form work, a painting of poppies, was donated to Ste. Anne’s Hospital during Veterans Week last November.
A Number of Donations Still to Come
The sale of a number of his works recently generated more than $10 000. To keep the memory of Dr. Balaban alive, his family will soon be making other works from his collection available for purchase. The funds raised will be donated to the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation.
