Identify: Younger Male Artist Killed by Mob and Woman Who Drew Decision Trees On Canvas With Pencil

February 9, 2012 4:17 PM

Please help me identify these two visual artists: a younger male artist killed by the mob in the 1990's and a woman who drew decision trees in pencil on canvas.

Younger Male Artist Killed by Mob: I remember reading about this artist in the Village Voice in the early 00's. He created large lists of things and diagrams for viewing in galleries and museums. He was killed by the mafia because an aspect of his work consisted of doing investigative journalism and depicting it visually. In the process of investigating corruption, he'd found information that made mobsters very nervous. Am I dreaming that he ever existed?

Woman Who Drew Decision Trees On Canvas With Pencil: One of the decision trees pertained to her choices about graduate school. I think her stuff was at PS1, probably in 2000 or 2001.

I've been thinking about these two folks for years, but my searching skills do not help me. Am I inventing Younger Male Artist Killed by Mob? You'd think I'd have read more about him.

posted by shushufindi to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

Best answer: The first sounds a bit like Mark Lombardi, though he wasn't particularly young, and the mafia's involvement in his death is only speculation. His official cause of death was suicide.
posted by katillathehun at 4:36 PM on February 9, 2012 [2 favorites]

Best answer: The second artist might be Beth Campbell?
posted by ella_minnow at 4:44 PM on February 9, 2012 [3 favorites]