Artist Agosto Machado, Creator of Memorial Shrines for Queer History, Passes Away
Agosto Machado, an artist and activist known for his shrine sculptures that preserve queer history, died on Saturday after a short illness. His work is currently featured in the Whitney Biennial. Machado was a participant in the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the subsequent Gay Liberation Movement, associating with figures like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. He began creating altar pieces in 2022, describing them as ancestor worship to honor individuals from his community. His sculptures, which incorporate collected ephemera, have recently entered museum collections, including the Whitney Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Key facts
- Agosto Machado died on Saturday following a brief illness.
- His shrine sculptures are displayed in the 2026 Whitney Biennial.
- Machado participated in the Stonewall uprising of 1969 and the Gay Liberation Movement.
- He began creating altar works in 2022 to honor community members and preserve queer history.
- His art has been acquired by institutions like the Whitney Museum and the Museum of Modern Art.
Entities
Artists
- Agosto Machado
- Marsha P. Johnson
- Sylvia Rivera
- Peter Hujar
- Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt
- Jack Smith
- Andy Warhol
- Candy Darling
- Mario Montez
- Stephen Varble
- Ethyl Eichelberger
- David Wojnarowicz
- Martin Wong
- Tseng Kwong Chi
- Jackie Curtis
- Holly Woodlawn
- Taylor Mead
- Tabboo!
- John Vaccaro
- Keith Haring
- Nan Goldin
Institutions
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- Museum of Modern Art
- Gordon Robichaux
- Maureen Paley
- La MaMa
- Pyramid Club
- MoMA
- Hessel Museum at Bard College
- Centre for Art, Research and Alliances
- Judson Memorial Church
- Club 57
- Mudd Club
- P.S. 122
- Performing Garage
- Dixon Place
Locations
- New York
- London
- Manhattan
- Hell's Kitchen
- Greenwich Village
- Elizabeth, New Jersey
- SoHo
- Albany