Gerd Stern was an influential poet and multimedia artist of the Beat era, as well as the co-founder of the 1960s art collective, USCO.
- Died: February 17, 2025 (Who else died on February 17?)
- Details of death: Died in New York City at the age of 96.
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Gerd Stern’s legacy
Stern was a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany, having fled with his family to New York City as a child in 1935, then settling in the San Francisco area in 1948. His creativity would prove influential in the decades to come. Between there and NYC, Stern met fellow poets and writers; helped girder the foundation of KPFK-FM, America’s first listener-supported radio station; and found himself welcome in both cities’ burgeoning art scenes.
In New York City, Stern connected with Beat Generation icons Carl Solomon and Allen Ginsberg in the 1940s. In the 1960s, he worked with Michael Callahan and Stephen Durkee to create USCO, for “Us Company” or “the Company of Us.” This artists’ collective pursued new forms of expression that embraced multimedia techniques, including film, photography, audio, smell, and more. The organization eventually included dozens of artists. Though it was most active in the 1960s, it continues to put together exhibitions today.
One goal Stern and USCO pursued was to provide an LSD-like experience through art. They utilized lighting, sound, olfactory input and more to accomplish this, often working in unusual locations such as old airplane hangars, churches, and off-Broadway theaters.
After falling by the wayside thanks to cultural shifts in the 1970s and ‘80s, Stern’s work experienced a revival in the 2000s and 2010s. Renewed interest led to exhibitions throughout the world, including at the Tate Museum in Liverpool, NYC’s Whitney Museum of American, and at locations throughout Europe.
Stern’s published books include “Afterimage: Poems” and “WhenThen,” among other collections. He tells his story in oral histories such as “A Life on the First Waves of Radical Bohemianism in San Francisco” and “From Beat Scene Poet to Psychedelic Multimedia Artist in San Francisco and Beyond, 1948-1978.”
Tributes to Gerd Stern
Full obituary: The New York Times
