Hyperallergic's In Memoriam: Christine Borland, John Will, Astrid Furnival, and Others
Hyperallergic recently commemorated the lives of seven notable artists who have passed away, each leaving a significant mark in the art world. Christine Borland (1965–2026) from Scotland focused on themes of human vulnerability and held a Turner Prize nomination in 1997. John Croft (1923–2026), an abstract painter and WWII codebreaker, was featured at Camden Arts Centre. Textile artist Astrid Furnival (1940–2026) made her mark with knitted concrete poetry. Mitchell Markovitz (1950–2026), celebrated for his Lake Michigan art, revived a historic train poster. Vicente Matallana (1967–2026) advanced digital art, while Canadian John Will (1939–2026) gained recognition for his insightful work.
Key facts
- Christine Borland (1965–2026) was a Scottish artist and Young British Artist nominated for the Turner Prize in 1997.
- Borland explored human fragility through genetics and forensic science in sculpture, photography, and printmaking.
- She was a professor of fine art at Northumbria University and elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2020.
- John Croft (1923–2026) was an abstract painter and WWII codebreaker at Bletchley Park who deciphered a personal message from Adolf Hitler.
- Astrid Furnival (1940–2026) was a British textile artist who hand-knitted concrete poetry works and co-founded GLOUP.
- Mitchell Markovitz (1950–2026) was a train conductor turned artist who led the 1998 South Shore Line poster relaunch and received the Sagamore of the Wabash in 2024.
- Vicente Matallana (1967–2026) was director of NEWART Center in Reus, Spain, and a key figure in digital art preservation.
- John Will (1939–2026) was a Canadian artist whose retrospective 'John Will: Born in the U.F.O.' runs at the Art Gallery of Alberta until August 9.
Entities
Artists
- Christine Borland
- John Croft
- Astrid Furnival
- John Furnival
- Mitchell Markovitz
- Vicente Matallana
- John Will
Institutions
- Hyperallergic
- Turner Prize
- Royal Society of Edinburgh
- Northumbria University
- Glasgow Print Studio
- Scotsman
- Camden Arts Centre
- Oxford University
- Cambridge University
- London School of Economics
- Bletchley Park
- GLOUP
- NEWART Center
- LaAgencia
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Art Gallery of Ontario
- Vancouver Art Gallery
- Art Gallery of Alberta
- University of Calgary
- South Shore Line
- Sagamore of the Wabash
Locations
- Scotland
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- England
- Nailsworth
- Gloucestershire
- Lake Michigan
- Indiana
- United States
- Reus
- Spain
- Edmonton
- Canada
- Calgary