Art News. Vasari Codex

candle obituary schedule Aug 14, 2025 visibility 24 link 16 artists, 1 gallery

christophe de menil dead

Christophe de Menil, a collector, designer, and patron who cultivated deep relationships with many of the 20th century's most influential artists, died in New York on August 5 at age 92. A member of the renowned Menil family, she was the daughter of John and Dominique de Menil, founders of the Menil Collection in Houston. Her close friends included Merce Cunningham, Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning, and Jasper Johns. She married artist Enrique Castro-Cid and was the grandmother of artist Dash Snow. De Menil appeared three times on the ARTnews Top 200 Collectors list and built a collection featuring works by René Magritte, Barnett Newman, and others. She also worked as a fashion designer, creating garments for theater director Robert Wilson, and commissioned Frank Gehry and Doug Wheeler for her New York home renovation.

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candle obituary schedule Jun 11, 2025 visibility 25 link 10 artists, 1 gallery

gunther uecker zero artist dead

Günther Uecker, the German postwar artist known for hammering nails into canvases to create abstract works, died at age 95. His death was announced by his New York gallery, Lévy Gorvy Dayan, after he had been hospitalized in Düsseldorf. Uecker was a core member of the avant-garde ZERO group, founded in 1957 by Otto Piene and Heinz Mack, and his nail-based abstractions—applied to surfaces from canvases to lightboxes and TV sets—defined his practice from the 1950s onward. He participated in major exhibitions including Documenta and MoMA's 1965 "The Responsive Eye," and continued working daily in his Düsseldorf studio into his 90s.

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candle obituary schedule May 4, 2026 visibility 37 link 6 artists, 2 galleries

Raghu Rai obituary

Raghu Rai, the renowned Indian photographer known for capturing his country's post-independence history through singular, enduring images, has died at age 83 from cancer. Rai's career spanned six decades, during which he documented events from the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster to the Bangladesh war of independence, and photographed figures including Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and the Dalai Lama. He joined Magnum Photos in 1977 after being invited by Henri Cartier-Bresson, and worked as a staff photographer for the Statesman and as picture editor for India Today.

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candle obituary schedule May 14, 2026 visibility 16 link 8 artists, 1 gallery

Renowned feminist artist and film-maker Valie Export dies aged 85

Valie Export, the Austrian performance artist and film-maker known for her provocative feminist works that challenged the male gaze, has died at age 85. Her foundation announced she died in Vienna on Thursday, three days before her 86th birthday. Export gained notoriety in the late 1960s for low-budget performances such as "Tapp und Tastkino" (1968), where she invited shoppers to touch her bare breasts through a tiny curtain strapped to her chest. She also co-founded the Austrian Filmmakers Cooperative, participated in documenta (1977, 2007) and the Venice Biennale (1980), and was a professor of multimedia and performance at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne.

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candle obituary schedule May 14, 2026 visibility 45 link 7 artists, 3 galleries

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, Painter Who Defied the Bounds of Abstraction, Dies at 84

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, the American painter known for her large-scale abstract works that defied easy categorization, died in Mérida, Mexico, on May 10 at age 84. Her death was confirmed by her galleries, Jenkins Johnson and Marianne Boesky, on May 13. Active in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, O’Neal developed a distinctive practice that blended Minimalism, Abstract Expressionism, and figurative elements, most notably through her Lampblack series and later the "Whales Fucking" series. Her work gained renewed attention in the 21st century, with exhibitions at Mnuchin Gallery and the Museum of the African Diaspora, and her painting *Blue Whale a.k.a. #12* (1983) was selected for the 2024 Whitney Biennial.

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candle obituary schedule Sep 3, 2025 visibility 25 link 11 artists, 1 gallery

rosalyn drexler dead pop art

Rosalyn Drexler, a Pop artist known for her 1960s paintings exploring Hollywood, violence, and gender, died in New York at age 98. Her death was confirmed by Garth Greenan Gallery, which represents her. Drexler also wrote novels and briefly worked as a professional wrestler before turning to art.

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candle obituary schedule Jun 9, 2025 visibility 25 link 15 artists, 1 gallery

influential french gallerist daniel lelong dies 92

Daniel Lelong, the influential French gallerist who cultivated deep relationships with 20th-century modern artists, died at age 92. Lelong began his career drafting statutes for the Marguerite and Aimé Maeght Foundation before working at Galerie Maeght, where he organized exhibitions for icons like Joan Miró, Alexander Calder, and Alberto Giacometti. After Maeght's death in 1981, Lelong became director of Galerie Maeght-Lelong alongside Jean Frémon and Jacques Dupin, and the gallery was renamed Galerie Lelong & Co. in 1987, with locations in New York and Zurich. He showed at the first Art Basel in 1970 and maintained close ties with artists such as Jaume Plensa, Jannis Kounellis, and Sean Scully.

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candle obituary schedule Jan 8, 2026 visibility 23 link 13 artists

yoshiko mori former chair mori art museum died 85

Yoshiko Mori, the founding chairperson of Tokyo's Mori Art Museum, died on December 23 from pneumonia at age 85. Alongside her husband, real estate developer Minoru Mori, she opened the museum in 2003, which has since become one of Japan's premier contemporary art institutions. Mori served as chairperson from 2003 to 2024, then as chairperson emerita until her death. She also founded the Mori Contemporary Art Foundation in 2025 and held numerous international board positions, including trustee at the Royal Academy of Arts and member of the International Council at MoMA and Tate.

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candle obituary schedule Sep 22, 2025 visibility 23 link 11 artists

art world figures remember late patron agnes gund a legend and icon

Agnes Gund, a towering art collector and patron of New York's Museum of Modern Art, died Thursday in Manhattan at age 87. Following the announcement, artists and cultural workers including Roxana Marcoci, Glenn Ligon, Lorna Simpson, and Hoor Al Qasimi honored her memory on social media, recalling her friendship, generosity, and commitment to social justice. Gund spearheaded MoMA's 1990s expansion, founded the arts education nonprofit Studio in the School in 1977, and in 2017 sold Roy Lichtenstein's "Masterpiece" (1962) to launch the Art for Justice Fund, a $100 million grant initiative for criminal justice reform.

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candle obituary schedule May 15, 2026 visibility 18 link 10 artists, 1 gallery

Mary Lovelace O’Neal Leaves Her Mark

Abstract mixed-media painter Mary Lovelace O’Neal, a Civil Rights activist and influential artist known for her monumental canvases and inventive 'lampblack' works, died at age 84. The article also reports that Manhattan’s Neue Galerie will merge with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and covers the NADA New York art fair, Todd Gray's exhibition, and the Lehman College Art Gallery thesis show.

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candle obituary schedule Apr 29, 2026 visibility 33 link 16 artists, 4 galleries

George Herms, Titan of West Coast Assemblage, Dies at 90

George Herms, a pioneering figure in the West Coast Assemblage movement, died on April 24 at age 90. Known for transforming found materials, rusted metal, and debris into poetic sculptures and collages, Herms emerged from the Beat scene in Topanga Canyon and was influenced by artist Wallace Berman. His first assemblage show, Secret Exhibition (1957), was held in a vacant lot, and he was later included in MoMA's landmark 1961 exhibition The Art of Assemblage. Over seven decades, he exhibited widely, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and Morán Morán, and created public artworks in LA such as 'Portals to Poetry' and 'Clocktower: Monument to the Unknown.'

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candle obituary schedule May 15, 2026 visibility 18 link 6 artists, 2 galleries

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, Author of Uncategorizable Abstractions, Dies at 84

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, an activist, educator, and artist known for her monumental lampblack paintings that expanded the possibilities of abstraction, died on May 10 in Mérida, Mexico, at age 84. Despite a six-decade career, she was long considered an "artist's artist" before gaining international acclaim in recent years, with major exhibitions at Mnuchin Gallery, Marianne Boesky Gallery, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and inclusion in the 2024 Whitney Biennial and the 2025 group show "Paris Noir" at the Centre Pompidou.

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candle obituary schedule Mar 20, 2026 visibility 20 link 14 artists, 2 galleries

Philip Castle obituary

Philip Castle, the influential British airbrush artist best known for creating the iconic poster for Stanley Kubrick's film 'A Clockwork Orange,' has died at age 83. Castle's distinctive, futuristic style, achieved with an airbrush tool, defined a key visual aesthetic of late 20th-century pop culture.

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candle obituary schedule Apr 1, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 39 link 8 artists

Teresinha Soares, Brazilian Artist Behind Erotic-Inflected Works That Slyly Defied Taboos, Dies at 99

Teresinha Soares, a pioneering Brazilian artist known for her bold, erotic-inflected paintings and installations that challenged societal taboos and gender conventions, died on March 31 in Belo Horizonte at age 99. Her career, though concentrated between 1965 and 1976, was defined by works featuring pared-down, full-figured female silhouettes in vibrant colors that directly addressed women's sexuality and oppression.

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candle obituary schedule Jan 2, 2026 visibility 32 link 27 artists

kathleen goncharov curator dead

Kathleen Goncharov, a curator known for her work at Just Above Midtown gallery and the Boca Raton Museum of Art, died at her home in Boca Raton, Florida, on December 31 at age 73. Over her career, she served as senior curator at the Boca Raton Museum of Art from 2012 to 2025, curated exhibitions internationally from Rio de Janeiro to Rome, and was commissioner of the US Pavilion for the Venice Biennale in 2003, presenting Fred Wilson's exhibition "Speak of Me as I Am." She also held positions at Creative Time, the New School, MIT, the Nasher Museum of Art, and the Brodsky Center for Innovative Editions, and was a working artist for 40 years.

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candle obituary schedule Jun 18, 2025 visibility 18 link 4 artists

conceptual art ulay is dead at 76

Frank Uwe Laysiepen, known as Ulay, has died at age 76 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The German-born artist was a pioneer of performance art, photography, and body art, best known for his collaborative works with former partner Marina Abramović, including the iconic "Relation Works" series and their 1988 walk along the Great Wall of China. Ulay had been recovering from lymphatic cancer; the cause of death has not been confirmed. He leaves behind the ULAY Foundation in Amsterdam and a project space in Slovenia.

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candle obituary schedule May 23, 2025 visibility 16 link 5 artists

sebastiao salgado photographer dead

Sebastião Salgado, the acclaimed Brazilian photographer known for his powerful black-and-white images documenting worker exploitation, environmental destruction, and human rights abuses, has died at age 81. His death was announced by Instituto Terra, the organization he co-founded with his wife Lélia Wanick Salgado. Salgado had been in declining health since contracting malaria in the 1990s. His work spanned decades and continents, from the Sahel desert to the Amazon rainforest, and he was widely regarded as one of the most beloved photographers of his generation.

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candle obituary schedule Apr 15, 2026 visibility 22 link 15 artists, 1 gallery

art agosto machado obituary whitney

Agosto Machado, a legendary downtown New York artist, archivist, and activist, died on March 21, 2026, at an estimated age in his 80s. The article recounts his life through a personal tribute, describing a drag performance in Chicago honoring him, and details his decades-long career as a street queen, Warhol-era fixture, and participant in the Stonewall uprising and first Gay Liberation March. Machado performed in Off-Off-Broadway plays, created solo shows, and amassed an extensive archive of ephemera, art, and photographs of his friends and community.

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candle obituary schedule May 20, 2026 visibility 12 link 8 artists, 3 galleries

Remembering F. John Sierra, Valie Export, and Mary Lovelace O’Neal

This week's In Memoriam column honors seven figures from the art world who recently passed away, including muralist and Chicano art champion F. John Sierra (1942–2026), Austrian feminist performance and film artist Valie Export (1940–2026), and painter and Civil Rights activist Mary Lovelace O'Neal (1942–2026). Also remembered are Maltese coin and monument designer Noel Galea Bason (1955–2026), Iranian-Irish gallerist and polymath Jamshid MirFenderesky (1947–2026), Philadelphia painter and educator Peter Paone (1936–2026), and Italian sculptor and installation artist Remo Salvadori (1947–2026). Each entry highlights their key contributions, from founding institutions and participating in major biennials to shaping cultural identity and challenging societal norms through art.

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candle obituary schedule May 14, 2026 visibility 19 link 12 artists, 1 gallery

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, Painter and Civil Rights Luminary, Dies at 84

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, a painter, educator, and Civil Rights activist, died on May 10 at age 84 in Mérida, Mexico. Known for her monumental canvases and inventive “lampblack” works, she moved fluidly between abstraction and figuration, using layers of black pigment to assert Blackness and presence. Her career included studies at Howard University and Columbia University, activism with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and connections to the Black Arts Movement.

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candle obituary schedule May 13, 2026 visibility 17 link 6 artists, 3 galleries

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, Abstract Painter Who Refused to Conform, Dies at 84

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, an abstract painter known for her gestural, unruly works that defied categorization, died on Sunday in Mérida, Mexico, at age 84. Her galleries, Jenkins Johnson and Marianne Boesky, announced her passing. O’Neal produced sprawling paintings characterized by tangles of drippy strokes, often using lamp black pigment to create intensely black canvases. She rejected labels like Abstract Expressionist or Minimalist, insisting she was simply a painter. Her series "Whales Fucking" (1979) and a 2020 exhibition at Mnuchin Gallery revived her profile, leading to inclusion in the 2024 Whitney Biennial.

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candle obituary schedule May 22, 2025 visibility 12 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

eva and adele artist dead

Eva, one half of the German artist duo EVA & ADELE, has died. Her passing was announced on the couple's Instagram page on Wednesday, with the German press agency dpa reporting that she died in Berlin after surgery on her lumbar spine. Eva never revealed her true age; the couple's representative, Galerie Nicole Gnesa, stated in an obituary that she was 34 years, one month, and 10 days old—using her chosen wedding day as her birthday. EVA & ADELE were known for treating their lives as a performance, appearing publicly in matching outfits to blur gender binaries and individuality, and were fixtures at major art events like the Venice Biennale, Documenta, and Manifesta.

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candle obituary schedule Apr 23, 2026 visibility 21 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

Ides Kihlen, Abstract Painter and Argentine Art Legend, Dies at 108

Ides Kihlen, the beloved Argentine abstract painter, died on April 14 at age 108. Her first solo exhibition came at age 85 in 2002 at the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Buenos Aires, after which her career blossomed with presentations at institutions including the Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo and the Emilio Caraffa Fine Arts Museum. Known for rhythmic compositions blending geometric forms, experimental line work, and collage on varied supports, Kihlen maintained a daily routine of painting from morning and playing piano after sunset, reflecting her lifelong dual commitment to art and music.

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candle obituary schedule Apr 10, 2026 visibility 22 link 10 artists

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.

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candle obituary schedule Apr 8, 2026 visibility 37 link 10 artists

Remembering Nathan Farb, Thomas Zipp, and Christine Ruiz-Picasso

The art world mourns the loss of several influential figures, including photographer Nathan Farb, known for his large-format captures of the Adirondacks and 1960s Manhattan, and Christine Ruiz-Picasso, who was instrumental in establishing the Museo Picasso Málaga. Other notable passing include German interdisciplinary artist Thomas Zipp, prolific art forger William "Billy The Brush" Mumford, and Hassen Soufy, the last living member of the L'École de Tunis movement.

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candle obituary schedule Apr 24, 2026 visibility 31 link 9 artists, 3 galleries

Remembering James Hayward, LA’s Adored Cowboy Painter

Abstract painter James Hayward, known for his monochromatic oil and wax impasto works, died last week at age 82. A legendary figure in the LA art scene, Hayward was equally celebrated for his magnetic personality, ribald humor, and storytelling. He rose to prominence in 1977 when included in the group show "Less is More" at Sidney Janis Gallery in New York, and was admired by art-world giants such as Dave Hickey, Chris Burden, Nancy Rubins, Ed Moses, and Mike Kelley. Hayward also taught at colleges across the country, including a guest seminar at the University of Southern California, and was a longtime supporter of the LA contemporary art magazine Artillery.

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candle obituary schedule Dec 23, 2025 visibility 32 link 14 artists, 2 galleries

Robert Mnuchin, the blue-chip gallerist who loved the drama of the auction saleroom, has died aged 92

Robert Mnuchin, the prominent New York gallerist who transitioned from a 33-year career on Wall Street to become a major force in the art world, has died at age 92. After heading the trading desk at Goldman Sachs, he co-founded C&M Arts in 1992 with James Corcoran, later establishing L&M Arts with Dominique Lévy in 2005, which was renamed Mnuchin Gallery in 2013. Known for his aggressive bidding at auction, Mnuchin made headlines with high-profile purchases including Roy Lichtenstein's *Sinking Sun* (1964) for $15.6 million in 2006 and Jeff Koons's *Rabbit* (1986) for $91.1 million in 2019, the latter a record for a living artist at the time.

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candle obituary schedule Oct 15, 2025 visibility 14 link 8 artists

artist drew struzan star war harry potter movie posters dies 78

Drew Struzan, the artist behind iconic movie posters for franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Indiana Jones, died on October 13 at age 78 after a battle with Alzheimer's. His wife, writer Dylan Struzan, announced the news on Instagram, noting his daily engagement with the works of Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cézanne. Struzan studied under Lorser Feitelson at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and was influenced by Impressionists as well as Renaissance masters like Michelangelo and Pontormo.

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candle obituary schedule Jul 18, 2025 visibility 11 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

Farhad Moshiri In the Raha Gallery Collection

Iranian artist Farhad Moshiri passed away on July 17, 2024, at age 61. A pioneering figure in Middle Eastern contemporary art, Moshiri made history as the first artist from the region to sell a work at auction for over one million USD, achieving this milestone twice—first with "Love" at Bonhams Dubai in 2008 and later with "Secret Garden" at Christie's Dubai in 2013. The article highlights his work "Toothpicker" (2008), now part of the Raha Gallery Collection, which was exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London in 2010 and sold at Christie's Middle East in 2014. Moshiri's practice combined pop art, kitsch, and precious materials like crystals and glitter, earning him a solo exhibition at the Andy Warhol Museum in 2017.

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candle obituary schedule Mar 19, 2026 visibility 12 link 4 artists

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.

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