2022 obituaries

Usher, Spike Lee, and Tyler Mitchell Helped Raise $3.7 Million for the Studio Museum in Harlem at a Party for the Ages

The Studio Museum in Harlem hosted a star-studded gala at the Glasshouse in Manhattan, raising $3.7 million to support its upcoming reopening. The event marked a significant milestone for the institution, which has been undergoing extensive renovations for seven years and is scheduled to open its new doors on West 125th Street on November 15. Director and Chief Curator Thelma Golden described the evening as a 'threshold' moment, celebrating the museum's legacy of shaping cultural history since its founding in 1968.

Blaffer Art Museum Terminates Curator; Artist Cancels Exhibition

The Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston terminated curator Erika Mei Chua Holum in July 2025, following a series of leadership changes and the cancellation of a planned outdoor sculpture exhibition by Guadalupe Maravilla. The museum's new director, Dr. Laura Augusta, cited conservation issues and campus construction as reasons for canceling Maravilla's 'Mariposa Relámpago,' a decision Chua Holum publicly disagreed with. Subsequently, artist Ja'Tovia Gary also canceled her scheduled solo exhibition, citing a breakdown in negotiations with Augusta over scope and budget.

ian jones dead tali lennox boyfriend

Authorities confirmed that a body recovered from the Hudson River near Poughkeepsie is that of 32-year-old Ian Jones, the boyfriend of artist and model Tali Lennox. Jones went missing after their kayak overturned; Lennox was rescued by a passing boat after 20 minutes in the water. The cause of death was drowning, and neither was wearing a life vest. Jones was a photographer and model who appeared on the cover of L'Officiel Hommes and walked in the Berluti runway show. Lennox, daughter of Annie Lennox and Uri Fruchtmann, posted a tribute on Instagram calling Jones her "soul mate" and "partner in crime & creativity." The couple had collaborated on a portrait series called "Street Kids," featuring homeless youth from the East Village, and Lennox had her first solo show at Catherine Ahnell Gallery in Soho this past spring.

Mass shooting at Mexico's Teotihuacan archaeological site leaves one dead, 13 injured

A mass shooting occurred at the Teotihuacan archaeological site in Mexico, leaving one Canadian tourist dead and 13 others from various nations injured. The gunman, identified as Julio César Jasso Ramírez, opened fire from atop the Pyramid of the Moon before killing himself at the scene.

buffalo akg director museum loan buy home state report

Janne Sirén, director of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum (formerly the Albright-Knox Art Gallery), received a $335,000 museum loan at a 0.18% interest rate in 2013 to help finance a $710,000 home. A review by the Erie County Comptroller's Office found that Sirén has not repaid any principal or interest, and the loan was later converted into a 30-year mortgage without being recorded with the county. The loan appears to violate New York's Not-For-Profit Corporation Law, which prohibits loans to directors or key officers, though the law was enacted a year after the initial bridge loan was issued.

san francisco art institute will stay open

The San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI), a 149-year-old institution, announced last month that it would shut down its degree programs and stop enrolling new students after the current semester, signaling what many believed was the end of the school. However, the board of trustees has now voted to keep the school open in a limited capacity, suspending degree programs but offering studio art classes, public education programs, and grant-funded exhibitions while launching a campaign to reinvent its business model and raise philanthropic funds.