Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, Painter of Political Resistance, Dies at 46 Before Solo Show

Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, a renowned painter celebrated for her striking depictions of political resistance, passed away on April 10 at the age of 46 in Los Angeles, just prior to her solo show "Burning in the Eyes of the Maker" at Jeffrey Deitch's gallery. She gained prominence following her participation in the 2017 Whitney Biennial and the 2018 Made in LA biennial at the Hammer Museum. The Hirshhorn Museum acquired her piece "Father, Don't You See That I Am Burning" in 2022. Born in 1979 in Rhinebeck, NY, Dupuy-Spencer studied at Bard College, later relocating to New Orleans in 2012, and eventually to Los Angeles. Facing harassment due to her views on Israeli policies, she was regarded as "beloved" by her community. A book on her work is scheduled for release this summer, and the cause of her death remains undisclosed.