(Pittsburgh, Pensilvania, USA, 1977) Former funeral director and embalmer turned artist, Mike Egan creates striking and eye-catching artwork, dark in nature yet highly colour saturated. His work deals with life and death and it’s this convergence that has earned him the attention of art galleries in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Madrid.
His paintings feature skulls, coffins, demons, owls, crosses, roaring tigers, and black cats. The style is somewhere between tattoo and folk art, reminiscent of Mexican iconography and German expressionism. Each capturing the viewer’s attention with its thick bold line-work and flat, vivid, bright palette. With a simple, minimalist style, they are complex in the use of religious and profane symbols.
In the back of Egan’s studio, a single word hangs over his head in bold, black lettering: DEATH. The message might seem ominous to anyone unfamiliar with his work but for him, it’s a constant reminder of what’s at stake. “I always like to remind myself that death is coming for me,” Egan says, “and that life is for living and doing what I love. Dying is a heavy topic,” Egan admits. “I think what I’m trying to do with my art is paint a picture that isn’t so dark and heavy. I feel like the paintings can be much more of a celebration of life instead of cheering on the death of human beings.”
Mike Egan has exhibited internationally, expanding his activity to various media such as toy design, poster creation and ceramics while continuously challenging himself to innovate and grow creatively.
