Agosto Machado, Artist and Activist Whose Shrine Sculptures Kept Queer History Alive, Has Died

Artist and activist Agosto Machado, a figure in Downtown New York’s queer art scene whose shrine-like altar sculptures are currently included in the Whitney Biennial, died on Saturday after a brief illness, ARTnews reported. His gallery, Gordon Robichaux, announced the death on Sunday but did not disclose his age, consistent with Machado’s long-standing refusal to share his birth year. Machado participated in the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the Gay Liberation Movement of the 1970s, and his work memorialized queer community members through assemblage shrines; a 2024 shrine honoring drag performer Ethyl Eichelberger (who died by suicide in 1990 while being treated for an AIDS diagnosis) was acquired by the Whitney Museum last year. The article notes that Machado’s growing museum recognition was aided by Gordon Robichaux, which organized three solo shows for him, including a Maureen Paley gallery presentation in London that closed last week.

Read the full article at ARTnews.com