PHYLLIS YAMPOLSKY

YAMPOLSKY--Phyllis, innovative artist and art activist, died on June 10, 2025, at NYU Langone Hospital, surrounded by family. She was 92. Yampolsky believed that "art shouldn't just be for a select few, but for everyone, everywhere." Her career spanned painting, performance, and civic activism, recognized for her Hall of Issues at Judson Memorial Church and her interactive feedback boards, Town Hall Walls, which inspired similar initiatives globally. Born August 23, 1932, in Philadelphia, she studied art at the Philadelphia College of Art and later moved to New York City to study under Hans Hofmann, immersing herself in the downtown art scene. Yampolsky's work evolved from abstract painting to exploring themes of desire and agency in women's lives, contrasting with her male contemporaries. A pivotal 1960s figure, she faced gender biases before finding support at Judson Church, where she held her first show in 1960. Her performance event, In the Event of Living Sculpture, showcased art's communal power. She was invited to reprise Hall of Issues for President Bill Clinton's inaugurals in 1993 and 1997, creating a 100-foot-long Town Hall Wall in Washington, D.C., now in the Smithsonian's National Archives. Yampolsky's activism culminated in the restoration of McCarren Park Pool, which reopened in 2007 after a 24-year campaign. Yampolsky continued to create art and engage in civic discourse until her passing. She is survived by her husband Bernard Roth, daughter Gia Forakis, and son Jozeph Forakis. Memorial will be held at Judson Memorial Church, celebrating her legacy of community and creativity, to be determined. Write info.py.memorial@ gmail.com