Remembering Christian Bernard, Al Gury, and Hermione Carline
In its In Memoriam section, Hyperallergic pays tribute to several notable figures in the art world who have recently passed away. Christian Bernard (1950–2026), a French art critic and the founding director of MAMCO, was instrumental in establishing the Regional Contemporary Art Fund Rhône-Alpes and was awarded the Grand Prix de Poésie 2026. Irish sculptor Vincent Browne (1947–2026) was celebrated for his public installations in Dublin and Limerick. British painter Hermione Carline (1951–2026), daughter of artists Richard and Nancy Carline, gained recognition for her semi-abstract oil works, with one piece nominated for the 2025 John Ruskin Prize. Additionally, Albert 'Al' Gury (1951–2026) led the Painting Department at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, while Martha Rivers Ingram (1935–2026) was known as Nashville's First Lady of the Arts, and Chris Smith (1937–2026) earned fame as a British photojournalist.
Key facts
- Christian Bernard was founding director of Geneva's Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMCO).
- Bernard helped establish the Regional Contemporary Art Fund Rhône-Alpes and founded publishing house Walden N.
- Bernard received the Grand Prix de Poésie 2026 from the French Academy.
- Vincent Browne created a bronze usher outside Dublin's Screen Cinema and a sculpture outside Temple Bar.
- Hermione Carline's painting 'Golden Shine' was shortlisted for the 2025 John Ruskin Prize.
- Al Gury served as chair of Painting at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts from 2000 to 2022.
- Martha Rivers Ingram was CEO of Ingram Industries and served on boards including the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.
- Chris Smith won Sports Photographer of the Year four times and captured the 1980 Olympics.
Entities
Artists
- Christian Bernard
- Vincent Browne
- Hermione Carline
- Albert Gury
- Martha Rivers Ingram
- Chris Smith
- Richard Carline
- Nancy Carline
- Muhammad Ali
Institutions
- Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMCO)
- Regional Contemporary Art Fund Rhône-Alpes
- Printemps de Septembre
- Walden N
- French Academy
- Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
- Frist Center for the Visual Arts
- Ingram Industries
- Guardian
- Sunday Times
Locations
- Geneva
- Switzerland
- Toulouse
- France
- Dublin
- Ireland
- Limerick
- London
- United Kingdom
- Nashville
- United States