This week, we honor the designer of the Native American Veterans Memorial, a Disney animator, a picture book illustrator, and others.
Lisa Yin Zhang
January 21, 2026
— 2 min read
Harvey Pratt (undated) (photo by RedFeatherFriend via Wikimedia Commons; edit Lisa Yin Zhang/Hyperallergic, CC BY-SA 4.0)
In Memoriam is published every Wednesday afternoon and honors those we recently lost in the art world.
Harvey Pratt (1941–2025)Designer of the Native American Veterans Memorial
A member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma, the self-taught artist designed the National Native American Veterans Memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC. He also spent decades creating forensic sketches for law enforcement, including work on high-profile cases involving victims of serial killers like Ted Bundy.
Roger Allers (1949–2026)Animator, storyboard artist, and director
Roger Allers at the 34th Annual Annie Awards in 2007 (photo via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5)He worked as a story artist, animator, and director for Disney, most notably co-directing The Lion King. He also worked on The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, among other films.
Harry Blitzstein (1938–2026)Los Angeles painter who opened a storefront museum of his work
Blitzen (left) at his eponymous museum (photo via Instagram)He was a beloved Los Angeles character whose storefront museum showcasing his own art was known as a colorful and welcoming neighborhood staple.
Robert Burleigh (1936–2026)Picture book writer and illustrator
His more than 50 books and biographies covered people like Edward Hopper and Langston Hughes. He was also a writer and artist for the Society for Visual Education, which produced films and cassettes for classrooms.
Philip Leider (1929–2026)Founding editor of Artforum
He helmed the magazine from its creation in 1962, staying on until resigning in 1972. He also taught art history at multiple institutions, including the University of California, Irvine.
Walter Steding (1950–2025)Avant-garde portraitist of the times
His eerie, distorted portraits of artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat documented Manhattan's underground. He performed at happenings in galleries around New York City in the 1970s and '80s, and completed odd jobs around Andy Warhol's Factory.
Phil Sumpter (1930–2026)Sculptor, educator, and medal designer
Phil Sumpter in an undated photo (photo via Instagram)He probed history through depictions of Black cowboys, pirates, and Puerto Rican farmers in drawings and more than 20 monuments. He was an educator at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, retiring in 1992.
