Sir Brian Clarke, widely regarded to be the most important artist working in stained glass today, has died aged 71 on July 1.
Across his fifty-year career, Sir Brian Clarke consistently revolutionised and pushed the boundaries of stained glass. He was commissioned to design stained glass for buildings across the world by leading architects and he made great efforts to revitalise interest and respect for stained glass as a medium of equal importance to other art forms.
He received his first commission for a stained glass window at the age of 17. His most celebrated projects include the Neue Synagogue in Darmstadt (1988), The Victoria Quarter, Leeds (1988-90), and Lake Sagami Country Club, Japan (1988-89).
His work in stained glass, painting and sculpture was shown widely internationally, and his work can also be found in the permanent collection of the V&A Museum and Tate.
He was awarded a Knighthood in January 2024, becoming the first stained glass artist to be honoured for a medium that has significantly shaped the course of British art.
Main Image: Sir Brian Clarke, Carnival 1990