Remembering Pedro Friedeberg, Thaddeus Mosley, and Liliana Angulo Cortés
This week, we honor the inventor of the Hand Chair, a beloved Pittsburgh sculptor, and the director of the Museo Nacional de Colombia.
In Memoriam is published every Wednesday afternoon and honors those we recently lost in the art world.
Pedro Friedeberg (1936–2026)
Mexican artist and designer
Born in Italy, the artist and designer was known for surreal designs and paintings that incorporated body parts and animals, though he was perhaps most famous for his iconic Hand Chair. He is often associated with the Mexican Surrealists, but rejected the association himself.
Thaddeus Mosley (1926–2026)
Beloved Pittsburgh sculptor
The internationally renowned sculptor and beloved Pittsburgh artist made carved figures out of salvaged wood. Inspired by everything from the works of Isamu Noguchi to jazz music, he referred to his method as "sculptural improvisation." His work has been shown across the United States, as well as in France, Norway, and more.
Liliana Angulo Cortés (1974–2026)
Colombian artist, educator, and museum director
She explored memory, power, and Afro-Colombian identity through work across sculpture, installation, and photography, including one series documenting braided hair design by the African diaspora. She was the director of the Museo Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá.
Umberto Allemandi (1938–2026)
Italian publisher and art magazine editor
He founded the Turin newspaper Il Giornale dell'Arte and was its driving force for four decades beginning in 1983. He also cofounded its English edition, The Art Newspaper, which he directed until 2002.
Christian Astuguevieille (1946–2026)
French artist of unlikely materials
He made strange yet familiar objects like hairy cabinets and rope-wrapped furniture, as well as worked in perfume at fashion powerhouses like Comme des Garçons. He also previously worked as educational director of the Pompidou Center's children's workshop.
chi too (1981–2026)
Malaysian multidisciplinary artist
His research- and process-driven work was humorous, poetic, and satirical, ranging from experimental music to performances to public art projects. He held solo shows across Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, and more.
Ivan Hall (1933–2026)
British architectural historian
He specialized in neoclassical architecture and preservation of historical buildings, in particular the work of John Carr and the furniture of Thomas Chippendale. He taught at institutions like the Royal Institute of British Architects and advised on buildings such as the Bank of England.
Noel Mayo (1937–2026)
Industrial designer, educator, and champion of DEI
He was the first Black head of an industrial design firm as well as college chair of an industrial design department in the United States, growing the now-defunct University of the Arts in Philadelphia to the nation's third largest. He worked hard to recruit students and designers of color to his company and classes, and he and his staff worked with clients like NASA, IBM, airports, museums, and other public institutions.
Victoria MacKenzie-Childs (1948–2026)
Whimsical ceramic artist
With her husband, the ceramics artist known for unique and iconic designs founded the home goods company MacKenzie-Childs on Madison Avenue in New York City.
Gael Stack (1941–2026)
Painter and educator who explored the in-between
Her large paintings and small drawings evoke the "gaps, sinkholes, and other chasms" of experience, often incorporating fragmented images and words. She has shown her work at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City; the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut; and many museums across Texas, where she lived.
Philip Trusttum (1940–2026)
New Zealander figurative and expressionist painter
The leading New Zealand painter made large works on unstretched canvases inspired by everyday experiences ranging from gardening to tennis. He has shown work in all of the nation's major art centers, as well as in New York, Edinburgh, and more.
Ken Turnell (d. 2026)
British sculptor and educator
He was pivotal to establishing the Grizedale Sculpture Park in Cumbria, which exhibits a number of his works. He taught at schools including Central Saint Martins, and showed his work in institutions like Serpentine Gallery and Whitechapel Gallery, all in London.
Tatjana Wood (1926–2026)
Comic book colorist
She worked on comics such as Swamp Thing, Camelot 3000 and Animal Man for DC Comics, coloring nearly every cover for the company between 1973 and '83. She won numerous awards for her work, and was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards hall of fame.
