"As the year winds to an end, we cannot move forward without remembering who we've lost. David Lynch, a filmmaker so revolutionary that his style became a new standard. Frank Gehry, the sculptor of skylines. Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, the multi-hyphenate force of Indigenous aesthetics. Alonzo Davis, who was one of the first Black gallerists in this country and didn't stop there. Koyo Kouoh, who would have been the first African woman to direct the Venice Biennale. And so many more."
"The multi-hyphenate film director and artist's work was so influential that it became integral to the tropes and aesthetics of cinematic horror, surrealism, and melodrama. He is known for classics both cult and traditional, from Blue Velvet (1986) to Mulholland Drive (2001), and many more. She initially rose to prominence during the burgeoning male-dominated Minimalism movement of the 1960s and '70s before rejecting the art form in favor of more experimental and figurative compositions."
Twenty prominent figures from the art world died in 2025, including artists, filmmakers, architects, curators, and writers. David Lynch reshaped cinematic horror, surrealism, and melodrama with films such as Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. Frank Gehry redefined architecture as sculptural skyline-making. Jaune Quick-to-See Smith combined humor and sociopolitical commentary with poetic depictions of Native American experience. Alonzo Davis was among the first Black gallerists in the United States. Koyo Kouoh served as a leading curator and would have been the first African woman to direct the Venice Biennale. Others lost include Mel Bochner, Agnes Gund, Max Kozloff, Frank Wimberley, and Joel Shapiro.
Read at Hyperallergic
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