Art World Mourns Photographer Leroy, Artist Smith, Gallerist Beane

(MENAFN- USA Art News) The art world is mourning the recent deaths of French photographer Jean-François Leroy, New York-based artist Lucien Smith, and British gallerist Jibby Beane.

Leroy, who lived from 1956 to 2026, was a French photographer renowned for co-founding and directing the influential photojournalism festival Visa Pour l'Image. Through this festival, he highlighted global conflicts and environmental disasters while also advancing the careers of numerous photographers. Leroy was also an active photographer himself and served as editor of Photo Magazine in the late 1980s.

Smith, an abstract painter and founder of a nonprofit, was a prominent figure in New York City's downtown art scene. Born in 1989 and dying in 2026, he was best known for his 2011–12“Rain Paintings” series. In 2017, Smith established Serving the People, an organization that facilitated weekly discussions and meetings for artists worldwide to explore their ideas, processes, and work.

Beane, who died in 2026, was a British gallerist and fashion icon who notably connected the fashion and art spheres. She modeled for designers such as Vivienne Westwood and established a home gallery in 1994. Her gallery championed emerging talent, including British artist and composer Martin Creed.

We previously reported:

The art world mourns the recent passing of seven influential figures, including sculptors, photographers, and philanthropists.

Source: Hyperallergic

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