Remembering Geles Cabrera, Helch, and Jay Maisel
This week, we honor a sculptor who explored the body, a street artist who upset Queen Elizabeth, and a commercial photographer who shaped the medium.
In Memoriam is published every Wednesday afternoon, honoring those who recently passed in the art world. Geles Cabrera, a Mexican sculptor (1926–2026), explored the expressive potential of the human body during Mexico's muralist era, seamlessly blending figuration and abstraction. In 1966, she established Museo Escultórico in Coyoacán, where she showcased her work for decades. In 2024, Cabrera received Mexico's highest artistic honor, the Bellas Artes Medal in Visual Arts.
Helch (c. 1991–2026), an anonymous British street artist, painted his tag "HELCH" across public infrastructure in London, notably on a railway viaduct near Windsor Castle, which caused controversy when it was spotted by Queen Elizabeth. Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist (1929–2026), channeled hallucinations and psychological phenomena into captivating, kaleidoscopic works of art. Her influence can be traced in various art movements, from Minimalism and Pop Art to immersive experiences.
Laura Spector, an artist utilizing invasive Asian bittersweet as her medium (1954–2026), created unique artworks, furniture, and lighting pieces for notable figures like Joan Baez and Sting. She later developed Photoshop collages, featuring a recurring red-haired figure she called "Laura dolls." David Thauberger, a Canadian painter and sculptor (1948–2026), depicted modernist and brutalist buildings from Saskatchewan, earning prestigious honors such as the Order of Canada and the Lieutenant Governor's Saskatchewan Artist Award.
Ally Van Tillo, the founder of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt (d. 2026), was instrumental in raising awareness for the AIDS crisis.
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