Art News. Vasari Codex

candle obituary schedule May 26, 2026 visibility 3 link 8 artists, 1 gallery

Tess Jaray obituary

Tess Jaray, an Austrian-born British abstract painter known for her geometric, architectural-inspired works, has died at age 88. The article traces her artistic journey from a transformative trip to Italy in 1960, where she was deeply moved by Renaissance architecture, to her development of abstract paintings that evoked space and movement. It highlights key moments in her career, including a mural for the British Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal and a solo show at the Serpentine Gallery in 1988, as well as her Jewish family's escape from Nazi-occupied Austria and her upbringing in rural Worcestershire.

newspaper The Guardian open_in_new Read original

candle obituary schedule Apr 29, 2026 visibility 33 link 17 artists, 1 gallery

Remembering Raghu Rai, Jack Thornell, and Jarvis Rockwell

Hyperallergic's weekly 'In Memoriam' column honors eight recently deceased figures from the art world, including Indian photojournalist Raghu Rai (1942–2026), Argentine abstract painter Ides Kihlen (1917–2026), Israeli painter and activist Yair Garbuz (1945–2026), British photographer Mark Gerson (1921–2026), Japanese art collector Kurt Gitter (1937–2026), Danish antiquities dealer Ittai Gradel (1965–2026), indigo textile artist Leigh Magar (1968–2026), and Kenyan muralist Patrick Mukabi (1967–2026). Each entry summarizes their life, career highlights, and contributions to visual art and photography.

newspaper Hyperallergic open_in_new Read original

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.

newspaper Hyperallergic open_in_new Read original

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.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

candle obituary schedule May 14, 2026 visibility 12 link 2 artists

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, painter and activist, 1942–2026

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, the American painter, professor, and civil rights activist, has died at age 84. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, she was a co-founder of the Non-Violent Action Group while a student at Howard University, later earning an MFA from Columbia University. Known for monumental abstract works on soot-black surfaces, she developed her signature technique through the Lampblack series (1960s–70s) and continued evolving her practice through series such as Whales Fucking (1970s–80s) and Panthers In My Father’s Palace (1980s–90s). In 1985, she became the first African American woman to receive tenure in the Department of Art Practice at the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught for nearly three decades and served as chair from 1999 until her retirement in 2006.

newspaper ArtReview open_in_new Read original

candle obituary schedule May 26, 2026 visibility 2

Ben Morea, Principal Provocateur of 1960s Anarchist Group, Dies at 84

Ben Morea, an abstract painter and leading figure of the 1960s anarchist group Up Against the Wall Motherfuckers, has died at age 84. Morea sought to collapse the boundary between art and political revolution, using provocative actions and profane slogans to challenge both the art world and the establishment. He was loosely at the helm of the radical collective, which blended street theater, direct action, and anti-war protest in New York City.

newspaper New York Times Art open_in_new Read original