Artist Chiara Fumai Died at 39

Italian born and based artist Chiara Fumai died at 39 in Bari, where she was a guest at Galleria Doppelgaenger.

Pierre d’Alancaisez (Waterside Contemporary, London) posted on his Facebook profile “I’m deeply saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Chiara Fumai. Chiara was an extraordinary force—committed to her practice and not afraid of its risks. It was a privilege to work with her at Waterside.”

Italian writer and curator Antonella Marino wrote on Italian newspaper La Repubblica that the artist had left NYC after a residency and she was in Bari, her parents’ hometown, to cope with a personal crisis.

Right after her death, most Italian magazines wrote that she died following an over-the-counter drugs’ overdose.  After a few days, a statement was released by Antonella Spano, one of the co-founders of Galleria Doppelgaenger:

“I’m sure you learned about the sad news of Chiara Fumai’s sudden death. Along with the news some false details of the circumstances were published and I need to clarify them. Chiara made an extreme but deliberate gesture of hanging herself while she was alone in the gallery spaces where she was a guest during a very delicate moment of her private life. I feel the duty to be clear also to safeguard the dignity of an artist who worked and lived with great awareness, rigor and strength. As far as you can, tell the truth. Sorry the few cold words, but I am full of pain.”