Published every Wednesday afternoon, In Memoriam pays tribute to influential figures in the art world who have recently passed away.
Henrike Naumann (1984–2026), an artist who was to co-represent Germany at the Venice Biennale, was born in East Germany shortly before the Berlin Wall fell. Her artwork delved into themes of reunification, using furniture and everyday objects from that period to express ideologies and social truths. Naumann died of cancer three months before the Biennale opened, where she was to present alongside artist Sung Tieu. “She worked until the very end,” stated her partner Clemens Villinger. Her art has been displayed at venues like SculptureCenter and the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw.
William Buggel (1939–2026), a celebrated painter and photographer, was a prominent figure in South Carolina’s art scene. Known for his abstract expressionist paintings, Buggel also worked with the Columbia Museum of Art and the Gibbes Museum of Art during the 1960s. His photography captured iconic performances by artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Ella Fitzgerald, and Tennessee Williams, and he operated a photography processing center in Charleston.
LaMonte McLemore (1935–2026), both a photographer and singer with the 5th Dimension, was a groundbreaking figure in the arts. Beyond his musical career, he served as a medical photographer for the Navy and captured images of fellow musicians like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. McLemore made history as Harper’s Bazaar’s first Black photographer and contributed to publications including Ebony, Jet, People, and Playboy.
Frederick Wiseman (1930–2026), a documentary filmmaker, was renowned for his exploration of institutional life through films such as National Gallery, which examined the London Museum. His documentaries have been featured in institutions like the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and he received a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in 2010.
