The Brooklyn Rail

Nancy Brooks Brody
September 12, 1962 – December 8, 2023

Extraordinary artist, beloved friend, fierce comrade sister.

Gatherer of mushrooms, connoisseur of oils and scents, numerophile, lover of games, agile handstand cartwheel tumbler, itinerant dj, firefighter, dancer, fan of candles and matches, activist, mentor, debonair dresser, native new yorker, poetic list maker… and all these words fail.

Brody's artwork spans drawing, painting, sculpture, installation and performance moving between materials in ways that challenged and shifted traditional genres. Over a long career from the 1980s to the present, they exhibited internationally.

In addition to their solo work, they were also a founding member of the queer art collective fierce pussy.

In the summer of 2021 Brody was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and went through every step of illness and treatment as they had lived, with dignity, humor, grace, and grit. They remained true to themselves all the way through. Brody died at home, and at peace, surrounded by their loving chosen family.

We were lucky to know you, we will cherish and love you always, and we will continue to hear you and see you in the remarkable body of artwork you left behind, as well as in the wealth of shared experiences we each had with you. You are transplendent. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

Brody is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. There will be a memorial in spring 2024.