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Iconic Chicago Sculptor Richard Hunt Has Died At 88

Hunt was the first Black artist with a solo retrospective at New York's MoMA, and he "recently completed a model for a monument to Till that is to be installed at the childhood home of the civil rights icon." - Chicago Sun-Times

Vera Molnar, Innovator Of Computer Art, Has Died At 99

Molnar "has been called the godmother of generative art for her ... digital work, which started with the hulking computers of the 1960s and evolved through the current age of NFTs." - The New York Times

Michael Bishop, Genre-Busting Author, Has Died At 78

Bishop "was best known for his award-winning science fiction, but ranged far beyond the genre, venturing into realism, noir mystery and even Southern Gothic." - The New York Times

Wier Harmon, 57, Seattle Impresario-In-Chief

“His innate belief that we’re better together — whether that’s through civic discourse, music, theater or any of the magic that happens in the Town Hall building — is the very spirit of Town Hall.” - Seattle Times

One Of France’s Greatest Living Actresses Is Sentenced For Tax Fraud

Isabelle Adjani — who has won five Best Actress César awards and gotten two Oscar nominations (in French-language films, no less) — was fined €250,000 and given a suspended two-year prison sentence for evading taxes by fraudulently claiming residence in Portugal and arguing that a €2,000,000 gift was only a loan. - Variety

Oprah Lands In The National Portrait Gallery

The oil painting by Chicago artist Shawn Michael Warren presents the iconic talk show host-turned-media mogul in virtuosic detail, wearing a dramatic purple dress with a full skirt and standing amid a greenscape on the grounds of her California home. - Hyperallergic

First Woman To Accuse Gérard Depardieu of Sexual Assault Has Committed Suicide

In a 2019 Facebook post, Emmanuelle Debever alleged that Depardieu groped her on the set of Andrzej Wajda's 1982 film Danton. On Nov. 29, she left a note for her partner in her Paris apartment and jumped into the Seine; she was rescued but died in hospital on Dec. 7. - Variety

Patti Smith Hospitalized In Italy Due To “Sudden Illness”

"The 76-year-old singer (was) to perform in Bologna but she cancelled the concert after suffering what the city’s Teatro Duse described as a 'sudden illness'. She underwent checks at a hospital, (and) a statement from health authorities in Bologna said Smith had been discharged and was in good health." - The Guardian

Richard Gaddes, Founder Of Opera Theater Of St. Louis And Former Director Of Santa Fe Opera, Is Dead At 81

"Among the most influential and progressive leaders in American opera, … (he maintained) a commitment to living composers through world and American premieres. He believed opera was a theatrical medium as much as a musical one and had a devotion to advancing the careers of promising young singers." - Santa Fe New Mexican

Actor Andre Braugher Has Died At 61

He had a breakout role in the 1989 Civil War epic Glory and went on to television stardom in both drama (Homicide: Life on the Street) and comedy (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), winning two Emmys and 11 nominations. In addition, he was an admired Shakespearean actor at New York's Public Theater. - AP

Janet Panetta, Polio Survivor, ABT Dancer And Revered Ballet Teacher, Has Died At 74

Panetta, who was also a "vital presence" in Pina Bausch's ballet company in Germany, "adapted the rigor of classical ballet to promote healthy alignment rather than forcing the body into balletic extremes." - The New York Times

Google’s Most-Searched Celebrity Of 2023 (It Isn’t Taylor)

The person who prompted the most trending queries – i.e., had the highest spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2023 as compared to 2022 – was…  - Deadline

Three Months After A Fall Off Stage, Stephen Fry Is Back In The Public Eye

Fry said he "was left needing constant physiotherapy after breaking his leg, pelvis and a 'bunch of ribs.'" - BBC

Irish Playwright And Novelist Thomas Kilroy Has Died At 89

Kilroy was praised "for his role in modernising Irish theatre since his 1968 breakthrough play, The Death and Resurrection of Mr Roche," which included a gay character. - Irish Times

Poet And Professor Refaat Alareer Has Been Killed In Gaza By An Israeli Airstrike

The poem pinned to the popular creative writing teacher's Twitter/X account since November is called "If I must die, let it be a tale." - LitHub

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