marian goodman titanic dealer of contemporary art dies at 97

Marian Goodman, the revered contemporary art dealer who built one of the most influential galleries of the past half-century, died in Los Angeles on Thursday at age 97. Goodman launched Marian Goodman Gallery in New York in 1977 after 15 years running an editions business, and over six decades she championed a roster of challenging artists including Gerhard Richter, John Baldessari, Julie Mehretu, Tacita Dean, and Pierre Huyghe. Her gallery operated on West 57th Street in Manhattan with branches in London and Paris, and she was awarded the Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Légion of Honor by France.

Éliane Radigue, Electronic Music Pioneer, Dies at 94

eliane radigue dead electronic music

Éliane Radigue, a pioneering French composer and electronic music visionary, has died at the age of 94 in Paris. A student of musique concrète founders Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry, Radigue became renowned for her meditative, long-form compositions created primarily on the ARP 2500 modular synthesizer. Her work, deeply influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, focused on the subtle, sculptural qualities of sound and "barely perceptible" sonic shifts.

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.

Marica Vilcek, Art Historian Whose Foundation Upheld the Work of Immigrants, Dies at 89

Marica Vilcek, art historian and co-founder of the Vilcek Foundation, has died at 89 in New York. She and her husband Jan, both immigrants from Czechoslovakia, established the foundation in 2000 to provide grants and prizes, primarily to immigrant artists, curators, and scientists, celebrating their contributions to American society.

The Great Lone Wolf of Art

Der große Einzelgänger der Kunst

Georg Baselitz, the German painter known for his radical, figurative works and iconic upside-down motifs, has died at age 88. Born Hans-Georg Kern in 1938 in Deutschbaselitz, Saxony, he fled East Germany for West Berlin in 1957 after being expelled from art school for "socio-political immaturity." Baselitz rose to international fame with his expressive, fractured depictions of the human figure, famously inverting his compositions starting with "Der Wald auf dem Kopf" (1969). He also worked as a stage and costume designer for operas by Harrison Birtwistle, György Ligeti, and Richard Wagner.

legendary art collector sylvio perlstein has died

Sylvio Perlstein, the legendary art collector, patron, and impresario, died on August 6. Hauser & Wirth confirmed the news, calling him a visionary who shaped one of the most important art collections of the past century. In 2018, the gallery exhibited 380 pieces from his collection across its Chelsea and Hong Kong locations in the show 'The Sylvio Perlstein Collection – A Luta Continua'. Perlstein was born in Belgium in the 1930s, fled to Brazil with his family during World War II, and later joined the diamond business in Antwerp. His collection spanned Dada, Surrealism, American minimalism, and Land art, featuring works by Man Ray, René Magritte, Donald Judd, and many others. He maintained close friendships with artists and displayed works throughout his Paris home, which cultural critic Arthur Lubow described as 'a contemporary version of Ali Baba's cave'.

Michel Bassompierre, Celebratory Animal Sculptor, Dies at 78

Michel Bassompierre, célèbre sculpteur animalier, est décédé à 78 ans

Michel Bassompierre, the celebrated French animal sculptor known for his gentle, rounded bronze and marble bears, gorillas, elephants, and pandas, has died at age 78. He suffered a fatal head injury from a fall following a fainting spell in Nantes on April 21.

Décès de Bruno Bischofberger

Bruno Bischofberger, the influential Swiss gallerist and art dealer, has died. Known for his Zurich gallery that represented major contemporary artists, Bischofberger played a pivotal role in the careers of figures like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Francesco Clemente. His death marks the end of an era for the post-war and contemporary art market.

Death of Christine Ruiz-Picasso

Décès de Christine Ruiz-Picasso

Christine Ruiz-Picasso, the daughter-in-law of Pablo Picasso and a pivotal figure in preserving his artistic legacy, has passed away. As the widow of Paul Picasso, the artist's eldest son, she played a foundational role in the management of the Picasso estate and was instrumental in the creation of major institutions dedicated to his work.

giancarlo politi founder flash art magazine died at 89

Giancarlo Politi, the influential founder and publisher of Flash Art magazine, has died at the age of 89. Established in Rome in 1967, Flash Art became a cornerstone of international art criticism, famously documenting the rise of the Arte Povera movement and providing an early platform for iconic artists like Marina Abramović, Maurizio Cattelan, and Jeff Koons. Politi, alongside his wife Helena Kontova, transformed the publication into a global network that bridged European and American art scenes, effectively serving as a "hands-on school" for generations of critics and curators.

From 1999: Charlotte Perriand, Designer, Is Dead at 96

Charlotte Perriand, the pioneering French designer and architect, has died at age 96. Her career spanned most of the 20th century, during which she collaborated with giants like Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, creating iconic modernist furniture and championing a vision of functional, democratic design.

Sylvain Amic, ‘open spirited’ head of Musée d'Orsay, has died aged 58

Sylvain Amic, the director of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, has died suddenly at age 58. His death was announced by French Culture Minister Rachida Dati, with President Emmanuel Macron expressing shock. Amic died of natural causes while on holiday in southern France. He had been appointed to lead the museum in 2024, fulfilling a long-held dream, but had not yet completed his main mission of rehanging the collection after renovations.

Desmond Williams obituary

Architect Desmond Williams, known for designing modern Catholic churches, has died at age 93. His work, which includes four listed churches, was celebrated for its innovative integration of liturgical function, architectural ambition, and artistic collaboration, placing him among the leading figures of postwar British architecture.

Michel Bassompierre (1948-2026)

French sculptor Michel Bassompierre has died at age 78. Known for his monumental bronze and marble animal sculptures—polar bears, gorillas, elephants, pandas, and horses—he depicted them in moments of rest and balance, simplifying forms in the tradition of François Pompon. Bassompierre studied at the École des beaux arts de Rouen under René Leleu, taught applied arts, and later worked with foundries including Venturi Arte in Italy. His major exhibitions include "Fragiles colosses" at the Jardin des plantes in Paris (2019) and a show at the Musée Despiau Wlérick (2021). In February 2025, the municipality of Vertou announced plans for a Michel Bassompierre museum, slated to open in 2028. He was named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2010, received the Légion d'honneur in January 2025, and was promoted to Officier des Arts et des Lettres on April 1, 2025.