Belgian artist Marie-Jo Lafontaine has died at the age of 75, auction house Lempertz has announced.
Lafontaine lived and worked in Brussels for many years, earning recognition for her unique voice in the international art world, described by Lempertz as "outstanding and unconventional."
Born in Antwerp in 1950, Lafontaine was renowned for her video art, large textile wall pieces, sculptures, and photography.
She gained international recognition in 1987 with her video installation ‘Les Larmes d’acier', showcased at Documenta 8 in Kassel, Germany. Ten years earlier, she won the Prix Jeune Peinture Belge in 1977.
In 1992, Lafontaine became a professor of media art at the University of Arts and Design in Karlsruhe. She was also appointed Cultural Ambassador of Flanders in the late 1990s.
Among her notable works are her official portrait photographs of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, captured by Lafontaine in 2013 following their ascension to the throne.
Her art remains on display at the Musée de Flandre in Cassel, France, just across the border. The exhibition 'Marie-Jo Lafontaine – Tout ange est terrible' will run until 27 September.
