Fifteen Indelible Lives

Renowned artist Michael Haykin’s latest creation, Fifteen Indelible Lives is custom-made for the Museum. Fifteen Indelible Lives is a breathtaking body of atmospheric realist paintings, many multi-paneled. Haykin defies categorization; he often (but not always) paints the American West; his work is unapologetically realist yet surreal at the same time. His work is as enduring as the lives of the flora and fauna that Haykin chooses as subjects for the works in this exhibition. Nature provided a framework for the exhibition, though the creative process began organically without a fixed starting point. As a painter, Haykin realizes that every life is important and indelible, and he guarantees that through his artwork. Haykin observes: “this has truly been a journey of discovery. Each day I painted until I couldn’t anymore and would then walk until I couldn’t stand not painting.” An idea for one painting often led to an idea for the next painting. Along the way, Haykin waited for pivotal moments drawn from nature. We are presented with daily symbols about the indelibility of life; Haykin centralizes these symbols and recreates them larger than life.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website