Second Street Gallery is pleased to present After We Are Gone, a solo exhibition of new paintings by artist Mike Egan, to be held in the Main Gallery from October 6 to November 17, 2023.
Mike Egan masterfully paints the intersection of life and death. Drawing from a distinctive background as an embalmer, Egan imbues his work with an intimate understanding of mortality. Further influences include The Day of the Dead, Halloween, horror films, Folk Art, religion, and German Expressionism -- all combining to inspire his ethos.
Ironically, the somber themes in his artwork stand in stark contrast with the lively, bright colors and stimulating narratives. This unexpected juxtaposition serves as a beacon of hope amidst the darkness.
This exhibition is generously sponsored by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Installation photography by Stacey Evans
Mike Egan was born outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1977, an aspect of his life that often surfaces in his artwork. In his early years, despite being quite shy, Egan discovered the transformative power of art, using it as a tool to vocalize his thoughts and experiences.
Egan entrenched himself in the process of creating and recreating, spending hours tracing various mediums such as cartoons, skateboard graphics, and even album covers. A memorable pastime of his childhood was drawing the cover of Guns N' Roses "Appetite For Destruction" multiple times while in the sixth grade, as well as his routine Sunday doodling in church using any scrap of paper he could find.
Egan's love for art continued to flourish all the way to high school where he undertook art classes and ultimately decided to pursue a Fine Arts degree after graduation. His pursuit for art education led him to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, located two hours north of Pittsburgh.
At the university, Egan honed his skills and expanded his knowledge in printmaking, a specialty that introduced him to renowned artists such as José Guadalupe Posada and German Expressionists like Käthe Kollwitz. He developed a deep admiration for woodcut printing for its bold black line work and graphic quality; elements which he would later incorporate seamlessly into his paintings.
The Holy Cat
Trauma Bonding
Brighten Up My Life
Upon completing his education, Egan found himself without the necessary supplies to continue producing prints. Instead of ending his art practice, Egan pivoted towards painting so he could keep creating. Egan acknowledges candidly that his early attempts at painting were far from perfect, going so far as to call his efforts bad, “like REALLY bad,” yet he took great pleasure in the process of creation and intrepidly continued to refine his technique, identifying successful approaches and learning from his mistakes with each new painting.
During this formative period in his artistic journey, Mike resided in close proximity to an airport, a circumstance that led him to secure a position with an airline company. His first day of work there was a poignant one, as it coincided with the devastating events of September 11, 2001. Unsettled by the tragic images of planes colliding with the twin towers, his first day of full-time work became a day deeply marked by national tragedy.
The aftermath of these events soon led to Mike's release from the airline, propelling him back to his passion for art, even if he still considered his own art imperfect. At a crossroads in his life, he considered returning to academia, but ultimately decided against it, deterred by the long-term commitment that additional schooling would entail. Egan, despite his trials, continued to create, embodying perseverance and resilience even in the face of adversity.
The Night We Prayed
The Gifted Skull
Let’s Change the Bad Luck
Mike Egan next tried to find a new career that required limited schooling and, somehow or another, stumbled on funeral directing. His exploration led him to discover a mortuary school in Pittsburgh where he could swiftly earn his license as a funeral director and embalmer.
His journey entailed studying for a year, which was then followed by a year-long internship. He amassed a wide array of skills, encompassing removals, embalming, restorations, dressing and casketing people, cosmetology, and assisting on funerals. Throughout this period, his love for the arts did not wane; he continued to paint and create, regardless of his own critical view of his creations.
In 2005, Egan found employment as an embalmer in Reading, Pennsylvania, situated four hours east from Pittsburgh. This was no small-time operation -- across four locations they attended to an impressive count of 500 calls every year, making it an extremely busy period for him. The nature of his work meant he was always on call, resulting in him spending a significant amount of time alone in his apartment, in anticipation of the next call. It was during these solitary moments that he honed his painting craft and unique style.
Egan began to draw inspiration from his printmaking days back in 2000, and his burgeoning appreciation for traditional tattooing, specifically American and prison styles. These influences helped him shape new original work, defined by bold lines and dark themes. Feeling that the art he was producing was resonating with his own voice, he has stated that, at this point, everything finally “clicked into place” for him.
In 2006, a friend organized a gallery show in Pittsburgh and offered Egan a place to showcase his work. He sold three paintings on the opening night, which was a clear indication that he was onto something significant. Drawing from his love for religious imagery, his firsthand experiences with life and death scenarios, and his love for skeletons and devils, Egan continued to make art and still does so to this day.
Let Us Honor Them
We Stayed Together Til the End
We Fear the Night
View and purchase works from the exhibition through our online store HERE.