One of the greatest filmmakers in cinema history has passed away: David Lynch is dead, as reported by the Hollywood Reporter, among others. The American artist was best known as a director and screenwriter. He also appeared in front of the camera as an actor and produced films and series.
However, his passion was not only for moving images. Away from the big screen, he tried his hand at a career as a painter, photographer, lithographer, sculptor, writer and designer, not to mention his musical talent, which he incorporated in a variety of ways into his often eccentric projects.
On David Lynch’s official Facebook page, the news of his death was announced by his family with the following words:
It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the death of man and artist David Lynch. We would appreciate having some privacy during this time. He leaves a big hole in the world because he is no longer with us. But, as he would say: ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not the hole’. It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies as far as the eye can see.
At this point you will find external content that complements the article. You can display it and hide it again with one click.
A cause of death was not given. Last August, Lynch revealed that doctors had diagnosed him with emphysema, which left him physically unable to make new films. A heavy smoker for much of his life, Lynch had most recently retreated to his home in Los Angeles.
Now he has passed away, leaving behind an incomparable body of work full of puzzles and secrets. Each of Lynch’s works was a dive into human abysses, dark obsessions and surrealistic spaces. Labyrinthine experiences that cast a spell and turned the world upside down with outrageous images.
Every new David Lynch film was an invitation into a fever dream that was never about understanding what was being shown. Lynch’s cinema focused on feeling, experiencing and disappearing. Disappearing into mysterious worlds that always feed on our reality with eerie distortions.
Disturbing, provocative and sensual at the same time: Lynch’s work is bursting with ominous sensory overload that prevents you from sleeping at night and drives you crazy during the day because what you see haunts your thoughts. Last but not least, Lynch was a master at disrupting the ordinary.
Lynch made ten full-length feature films between 1977 and 2006. There are also various short films, series, music videos, concert films and advertising clips. Even his debut on the big screen is hard to beat in terms of nightmarish quality: In Eraserhead, an overwhelmed father is torn between body horror and black humor.
More soon.