Remembering Raghu Rai, Jack Thornell, and Jarvis Rockwell
This week, we honor India’s most celebrated photojournalist, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, and a multi-media artist.
In Memoriam is published every Wednesday afternoon and honors those we recently lost in the art world.
Raghu Rai (1942–2026)
Indian photojournalist who captured the nation's milestones
Widely known as India's most celebrated photojournalist, he photographed Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, among many other notable figures, for a number of newspapers. He was a protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson, who nominated him to join Magnum Photos in 1977. He served on the jury for World Press Photo in the 1990s, and he won the Padma Shri award, one of India's highest honors, for his photographs of the 1971 war between India and Pakistan.
"A photograph has picked up a fact of life," he once said, "and that fact will live forever."
Ides Kihlen (1917–2026)
Argentine abstract painter
Her abstract works superimposed scraps of colored paper, geometric forms, and linework on canvas, musical scores, cardboard, and more. She received her first solo exhibition at age 85, at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Buenos Aires, kicking off an international career.
"She was elegant and demure, and her art was everywhere,” Isabella Hutchinson, founder of Hutchinson Modern & Contemporary in New York, told Hyperallergic. “She shared the apartment with her creations, and entering that space was magical.”
Yair Garbuz (1945–2026)
Israeli painter, activist, and educator
An outspoken critic of Israeli nationalism and advocate for Palestinian rights, he worked in everything from painting to installations and artist's books. He taught at Basis for Art & Culture and various other schools for much of his life.
Mark Gerson (1921–2026)
British photographer of literary icons
His portrait photographs of British writers like Evelyn Waugh and Ben Okri graced book jackets and magazine covers, with some becoming enduring images. He often captured sitters in familiar environs, such as playing chess or shopping.
Kurt Gitter (1937–2026)
Avid collector of Japanese art
With his wife, Alice, he built one of the most significant collections of self-taught American art and Japanese art. He served on the board of what was then known as the Freer Gallery of Art, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and more, and donated hundreds of works to institutions around the world.
Ittai Gradel (1965–2026)
Danish antiquities dealer who exposed theft at British Museum
An academic turned antiquities dealer, he alerted the British Museum and police to dozens of museum artifacts available for purchase on eBay in 2021, spawning an ongoing police investigation. In total, he located and returned almost 400 objects to the museum.
Leigh Magar (1968–2026)
Indigo textile artist
Through her unique style that blended generations of craft, she helped reintroduce centuries-old indigo textile traditions in her work. Her fashion and textile works have been featured in residences at the Gibbes Museum of Art and the 701 Center for Contemporary Art in Columbia, South Carolina, and shown at institutions including the Charleston Museum.
Patrick Mukabi (1967–2026)
Kenyan muralist
He was known for iconic murals, particularly his memorial to the victims of the 1998 US embassy bombing in Nairobi, as well as paintings, often depicting the daily lives of Kenyan women. He offered free painting classes at schools and malls both in the nation and abroad, and his work can be found in art galleries across Nairobi.
Jack Thornell (1939–2026)
Associated Press Photographer
He won a Pulitzer Prize for his 1966 photograph of civil rights activist James Meredith immediately after an assassination attempt. He worked at the Associated Press from 1964 to 2004, capturing crime scenes, natural disasters, and politicians, with a particular focus on racial justice.
Jarvis Rockwell (1931–2026)
Draftsman, painter, and assemblage artist
The son of artist Norman Rockwell, he was known for inventive and detailed works ranging from realism to abstraction to mammoth assemblages of toys. His work has been included in exhibitions at the New Museum, MASS MoCA, the Berkshire Museum, and more.
Larry Zgoda (1950–2026)
Stained glass artist who preserved Edgar Miller's legacy
The stained-glass artist made original designs for university buildings and public libraries as well as free-standing sculptures that he called "Architonomous Art Glass." He founded the nonprofit Edgar Miller Legacy to preserve the legacy of the painter, craftsman, and stained-glass designer.
