Who was Kaari Upson? All about the rising artist as she passed away due to metastatic cancer

Kaari Upson, an artist who was based in Los Angeles, has passed away at the age of 49. According to Margot Norton, a curator at the New Museum, Kaari Upson had Metastatic Cancer and breathed her last on Wednesday.

The news was confirmed through Upson's daughter on Instagram the next day as well, and of course, the art world was shocked to hear the news. Kaari Upson was known for her solo shows, one of which was curated by Margot Norton. Her projects increased in size as she got older, all the way to entire room installations for her sculptures and videos.

Much of her art was made from items found in older homes, like decor or furniture. She would breathe life into them and envision items from past owners who once had them. Many in the art world knew of her shows for good reason.

By the age of 49, Kaari Upson had accomplished a lot as an artist and created a legacy for herself.

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Kaari Upson's life as an artist

The New Museum is heartbroken to learn of the passing of artist Kaari Upson (1972–2021).Upson's contributions to the art world included remarkable works across mediums that expressed the desires, neuroses, and vulnerabilities that haunt the subconscious of popular culture. pic.twitter.com/H1qvjATWND

— New Museum (@newmuseum) August 19, 2021

Kaari Upson was born in San Bernadino, California, in 1972. Her upbringing on the West Coast had an influence on her art from the beginning and she carried that into her years in college.

She got enrolled and attended the California Institute of the Arts for her education. There she earned her undergraduate B.F.A. in 2004. She continued her education at the same college where she earned her graduate degree and received an M.F.A. in 2007.

Just months after earning her postgraduate degree, she had her first show at the Hammer Museum where she continued to catch the eye of other artists and curators.

One of Upson's most well known artistic expressions was "he Larry Project," which began in 2007 and was based on a burned mansion near her home in San Bernadino.

Inside she found letters from "Larry" and created her art based on mirror lives or twin lives. She encapsulated that aspect of life and added gravitas to items from the previous owners.

Her works were described as open narratives and became prominent in 2017, as she held a few different major shows for people to see her ever-increasing work. Kaari Upson continued to polish her skill in using old objects to tell a story, and her legacy will be well preserved.