RIP: Bruce Conner (1933-2008)

A San Francisco artist who could not be tied down to any one medium, Bruce Conner made works in painting, sculpture, pencil, inkblot, photography, fake campaign ads, and - most popularly - experimental films. His pieces were seemingly forged from dreams and unafraid to be humorous or irreverent.



Conner began in the 1950s by making sculptures called assemblages crafted from junk and debris, moving toward films similarly spliced together from black and white stock footage. The re-arrangement of materials and images resulted in innovative works overflowing with sexual, satirical, and downright unclassifiable qualities. He found good company in California artists such as Michael McClure, Jay DeFeo, and Dennis Hopper.



His work never depended on the current fashion of art, and for that, his obscure cult status endures. Perhaps that is most appropriate, as he saw commercial success as a means of selling himself out. Conner's creativity blazed trails for younger generations of surreal, multifaceted artwork. We owe him a toast. All hail Bruce Conner.