Jackie Ferrara Death and Obituary – Jackie Ferrara, a trailblazing American sculptor and conceptual artist known for her geometric wooden structures and public art installations, passed away on October 22, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland. She was 95 years old. Ferrara’s death was the result of physician-assisted suicide — a decision she made with characteristic independence and clarity of mind.
According to her estate and legacy adviser, Tina Hejtmanek, Ferrara’s passing was peaceful and meticulously planned. The artist, who had experienced two recent falls, remained in good health but expressed a deep aversion to becoming dependent on others. “I don’t want a housekeeper,” she reportedly told friends and family, emphasizing her lifelong commitment to autonomy and self-determination. Family members were informed of her decision in advance and supported her wishes.
Born in 1929 in Detroit, Michigan, Ferrara rose to prominence in the 1970s as part of the post-minimalist movement. While she was often grouped with minimalist artists, her work distinguished itself through its architectural sensibility, warmth, and human scale. Her large-scale wooden constructions, often inspired by ziggurats, temples, and classical architecture, blended mathematical precision with emotional resonance.
Ferrara’s art was marked by a fascination with structure, repetition, and pattern. She often used simple materials like pine or redwood, transforming them into complex geometries that invited viewers to walk around, through, and within the works. Her installations have been exhibited in major museums and public spaces across the United States, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and numerous universities and civic plazas.
Beyond sculpture, Ferrara also created a vast body of works on paper — intricate architectural drawings and geometric compositions that mirrored the structural logic of her three-dimensional pieces. These works remain highly regarded in both art and architectural circles for their technical rigor and quiet beauty.
Ferrara’s decision to end her life through physician-assisted means reflects her long-held belief in personal agency. Having lived a long and productive life dedicated to artistic exploration, she approached her death with the same thoughtfulness that characterized her creative process. Friends described her as “unyieldingly honest, fiercely independent, and deeply curious,” qualities that defined both her art and her approach to life.
She is survived by several close friends, former collaborators, and a vast artistic legacy that continues to influence contemporary sculpture and design. Tributes have poured in from artists, curators, and institutions across the globe, celebrating her contributions to art and her uncompromising vision.
A memorial exhibition honoring Ferrara’s life and work is reportedly being planned by her estate and several major galleries in New York. Her legacy endures through her sculptures, drawings, and the public installations that continue to shape spaces and inspire reflection.