Myron Helfgott

1936 - 2020

HELFGOTT, Myron, left this world peacefully and in the company of his cherished daughter, Megan Helfgott on September 25, 2020.

Myron was known as an inimitable artist and an inspiring teacher, and he spent most of his hours in his studio and in the classroom. The studio was where he thought, where he made, where he screwed up his hearing, where he enjoyed his five o'clock cocktail, where he defined his life's work. The classroom was where he helped others learn to think, how to make and how to define themselves through art.

Although born in Chicago, Ill., on September 1, 1936, Myron said "I began life intellectually at the age of 21, involved with Zen and existentialism, and it wasn't until I was confronted by a painting at some museum . . . struck dumb . . . mind gone empty—confronted by the power of its presence that I realized the idea I had about art making needed to be re-examined." As part of that reexamining, he earned degrees from the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University and engaged in extended studies with R. Buckminster Fuller. University teaching positions drew him and his family to Dekalb, Ill., Edinboro, Pa. and eventually Richmond, Va., where he was a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University's Sculpture Department from 1968 to 2003, and served as Chair of the Department from 2001 to 2003. During his career he appeared in more than 20 solo exhibitions in locations around the United States, Scotland and Peru, and nearly 40 group exhibitions throughout the States and in France, Japan and Hungary. He is survived by his daughter, D. Megan Helfgott; brother, Stewart Helfgott; and decades-long partner, Susan Glasser.

Following his wishes there will be no formal funeral service. Instead, Myron wanted a full-blown "Jewish-Irish wake." Times being what they are, we will arrange for this celebration when collecting together is safer for everyone.

In the meantime, we offer this mini wake. Many more remembrances can be found here: http://myronhelfgott.com/obit/. We invite all who knew and loved him to add their own remembrances, pictures or videos to share with everyone.

ELEANOR RUFTY: . . . he really was a "famous artist." At this moment all around this country and probably the world there are those remembering Myron Helfgott and mourning his passing. He was such a force as an artist, as a teacher and a personality. So many lives touched, so many grateful for having known him, learned from him and counted him friend. And also, many will raise a glass of red wine and remember him well.

JOE SIEPEL: He was a brilliant fearless artist, incredibly well read and loved nothing more than a good smart argument, (especially over a glass(es) of red wine). His art was unpredictable, and it had little use for convention; it was often not well mannered. He was a force to be reckoned with and that's why I loved him so. He gave us so much!

BILL HUMM: What troubles me most about Myron's passing is that he taught me how to think and how to solve problems. Over these many years, I find that I am still his student and he will always be my professor. My profound sadness is that there are still so many problems to be solved and that now I have to do it without him.

ROBIN PRICE: He was hard to love, but impossible not to. . . . The empty space he leaves in our lives is uniquely Myron-shaped, unfillable by anyone else.