Remembering Agosto Machado, Keeper of Queer Histories

Agosto Machado, a seminal performer, archivist, and fixture of New York’s downtown queer arts scene, has passed away. Known as a "keeper of secrets" and a vital connector within the avant-garde community, Machado was a muse to filmmaker Jack Smith and a lifelong friend to Warhol superstar Mario Montez. His life spanned the height of the East Village performance era, where he transitioned from a quiet observer to an essential participant in the preservation of underground history.

Art21 Remembers Agnes Gund

Agnes Gund, the influential arts patron and philanthropist, has passed away. The organization Art21, a leading producer of media about contemporary artists, released a statement mourning her loss and highlighting her role as one of its earliest and most steadfast supporters, having helped shape its mission from the beginning.

Lloyd Le Blanc obituary

Sculptor Lloyd Le Blanc has died at the age of 85. He was known for creating large-scale bronze works of flora and fauna and, with his wife Judith Holmes Drewry, established the Le Blanc Fine Art foundry and studios in Saxby, Leicestershire. Le Blanc was involved in every stage of his sculptures' creation and also cast works for other artists from his foundry.

Margareta Magnusson obituary

Margareta Magnusson, the Swedish author and artist who popularized the concept of 'death cleaning' (döstädning), has died at age 92. In her 80s, she wrote the international bestseller 'The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning,' which advocated for the mindful decluttering of one's belongings to spare loved ones the burden after one's death.

The Public Legacy of Gonzalo Díaz

EL LEGADO PÚBLICO DE GONZALO DÍAZ

A collaborative research project, the Gonzalo Díaz Archive, was presented at the National Museum of Fine Arts in early 2025, focusing on the late artist's five-decade connection to the University of Chile. Just before his death in December 2025, Díaz publicly called for the university to safeguard a substantial part of his prolific work, and he was posthumously awarded the university's Rector Juvenal Hernández Jaque Medal. His widow, artist Nury González, will lead a funded project to transform his decades of preparatory notes and sketches into a new artist's book.

calvin tomkins dead marcel duchamp new yorker 1234778225

Calvin Tomkins, the legendary New Yorker writer who chronicled the contemporary art world for over six decades, has died at the age of 100. Joining the magazine's staff in 1960, Tomkins became the preeminent profiler of his era, translating complex aesthetic shifts and avant-garde movements into accessible, witty, and insightful prose. His career-defining focus on art began unexpectedly in 1959 with a chance interview with Marcel Duchamp, sparking a lifelong fascination with the creative process.