Michael Gallagher

MICHAEL GALLAGHER (1945 - ): Michael Gallagher is an American painter and a co-founder of the Abstract Illusionism movement, known for paintings that explore the tension between flat surfaces and the illusion of three-dimensional space. Born in Los Angeles, California, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Southern California in 1967 and a Master of Fine Arts from Yale University School of Art in 1970. His artistic development was shaped by Abstract Expressionism and his studies with influential artists, including David Hockney, Tony Berlant, Jack Tworkov, Josef Albers, and Al Held. In the early 1970s, Gallagher helped establish Abstract Illusionism, an approach that combines expressive brushwork, geometric structures, and trompe-l'œil effects to create the impression of depth and spatial movement. In 1974, he co-founded Razor Gallery in New York's SoHo district, helping introduce this emerging movement to the art world. Gallagher's paintings have been exhibited nationally and internationally, and his work is held in major collections, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, and The Jewish Museum in New York. Throughout his career, he has continued to investigate the relationship between color, gesture, perception, and the painted surface.