Honoring artists we lost in 2020
William Bailey, 1930–2020
Best known for his nudes and still lifes, Bailey’s work showed harmony between color, space, and the formal relationships between objects. As interest in figurative painting took hold in the early 1980s, Bailey’s Portrait of S was featured on the cover of Newsweek. In addition to his creative work, Bailey taught at the Yale School of Art, where he helped inspire future artists.
Varujan Boghosian, 1926–2020
Known for his powerful sculptures, assemblages, and collages, Boghosian and his work inspired numerous artists and writers, including Poet Laureate Stanley Kunitz. Boghosian graduated from the Yale School of Art in 1959 and was a resident of Hanover, NH.
Michael McKinnell, 1935–2020
Architect and artist McKinnell gained national prominence in 1962 as the co-designer of Boston’s City Hall, a landmark example of brutalist architecture. He was a co-founder of the noted architectural design firm Kallmann McKinnell & Wood, and a tenured professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. McKinnell also designed the Hynes Convention Center, the modernization and expansion of the deCordova Museum, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
David C. Driskell, 1931–2020
Artist, collector, historian, curator, and leading authority on African-American art, Driskell was a recipient of the National Humanities Medal in 2000. He studied at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine.
Melissa Shook, 1939–2020
Documentary photographer, artist, and educator, Shook captivated audiences with her poignant images. She approached topics such as homelessness, poverty, aging, and family life with great tenderness and empathy. Shook taught at MIT’s Creative Photo Lab in 1974, and from 1975–2005 she taught at UMass Boston.
Wolf Kahn 1928–2020
Throughout his life, German-American artist Wolf Kahn produced a rich and expressive body of work, combining elements of Realism and modern abstract painting. His work continues to be exhibited and celebrated at galleries and museums across North America. Kahn’s wife and fellow artist Emily Mason passed in December 2019.
Roger Mandle, 1941–2020
Painter, art scholar, and educator Roger Mandle graduated from Williams College in 1963. He served as president of RISD from 1993 to 2008. With his wife, artist Gayle Wells Mandle, he co-founded the Massachusetts Design Art & Technology Institute (DATMA) in New Bedford, MA.