Ivan Grubanov studied at the Belgrade Academy of Fine Arts before furthering his training through prestigious programs and residencies at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam, Delfina Studios in London, Casa de Velázquez in Madrid, and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. In 2015, he represented Serbia at the 56th Venice Biennale with his project United Dead Nations.

Grubanov continuously seeks to push the boundaries of painting as a medium. His work engages deeply with the articulation of historical memory within contemporary contexts, questioning the significance of his heritage today and, more broadly, how past cultural values persist in an increasingly globalized society. His process-driven approach transforms painting into a platform for knowledge production, persistently challenging social and political realities while extending the medium beyond the canvas.

He has established a prominent international career through numerous solo, group, and biennial exhibitions worldwide, as well as receiving various artistic and scholarly awards. His solo exhibitions include Laboratorio 987 at MUSAC in León, Le Grand Café – Centre d’Art Contemporain in Saint-Nazaire, the Gallery of the Belgrade Cultural Center, and the Salon of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade, as well as exhibitions at Stroom in The Hague and Nogueras Blanchard in Barcelona.

Grubanov has also participated in significant group exhibitions at institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow, Witte de With in Rotterdam, and Kiasma in Helsinki. His work has been featured in the 3rd International Festival of Contemporary Art of Algiers, the 10th Istanbul Biennial, and the 1st Thessaloniki Biennial, among others. Additional exhibitions include those at Stedelijk Museum CS, SMART Project Space, and De Appel in Amsterdam, as well as The Drawing Center and Apex Art in New York. Other notable appearances include the 50th Belgrade October Salon, the Spa Port Biennial in Banja Luka, the 3rd Bucharest Biennial of Young Artists, Moderna Galerija in Ljubljana, the 3rd Tirana Biennial, the 3rd Biennial of Quebec, Kunsthalle Bern, Office Baroque and Extra City Kunsthal in Antwerp, Aeroplastics in Brussels, South London Gallery, ARCOS Museum in Benevento, Museum De Beyerd in Breda, Henie Onstad Art Center in Oslo, the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens, Museu Colecção Berardo in Lisbon, and Iaspis in Stockholm.