Collection: Michael Engebretson

Practicing at Interact since 2016

Michael Engebretson's kaleidoscopic drawings, paintings, and sculptures map a future existence beyond Earth, where inhabitants travel through galaxies by spaceship and live on distant moons. The residents of this intergalactic civilization, which Engebretson refers to as a Class 5, are hybrid beings. Embracing their human, cyborg, and extraterrestrial qualities, they develop more equitable healthcare systems and renewable energy sources. “Their society is far more advanced than us,” says Engebretson. He has continued this body of speculative fiction for over 15 years.

An avid autism advocate, Engebretson would like viewers of his work to understand how, as he says, “the autistic mind operates.” He describes the way that his brain works as “just like a cyborg: part human, and part machine,” and he hopes that his work will help people to understand the vitality of neurodiversity. “Minds, minds can coexist,” he says. “Can can coexist with other people, with everybody. Isn’t that awesome?”

Engebretson was the inaugural artist in residence at Interact Gallery in 2022 and the second artist to hold a solo exhibition at Interact Gallery in 2023. He was named a Guest Artist by the Creative Enterprise Zone in the 2023 Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival. In addition to Interact, he has presented work at Art Enables in Washington, D.C., Make Studio in Baltimore, MD, HGA Architects & Engineers, and Gamut Gallery. In 2021, he was a key contributing artist and performer in Zoomtopia, Interact's first virtual theater production and companion exhibition.

Interviews

"The artist's guide to the galaxy: Michael Engebretson explores space and autism," MPR News, March 15, 2023

"'Isn't that cool?' White Bear Lake artist's autism helps shape his futuristic work," Star Tribune, March 24, 2023

"Artist's otherworldly work on display in St. Paul," White Bear Press, March 29, 2023

"Minds, Minds Can Coexist: Introducing Michael Engebretson," Interact Journal, November 2020

Special thanks to Bernie Wire for this portrait of the artist.