Brian Clarke in the ’80s, Lower Left (All Photos By Gail)

The art world mourns the loss of Sir Brian Clarke, the visionary British stained-glass artist and painter, who passed away from cancer on July 1, 2025 — just one day shy of his 72nd birthday. Born in Oldham, Lancashire, Clarke transformed stained glass from ecclesiastical embellishment into a breathtaking architectural medium.

Clarke’s artistic journey began as a scholarship student at age 13. Over the decades, he pioneered works that blurred art and space —from majestic church windows to public installations and freestanding glass screens.


Installation View from 2021’s The Art of Light 

His landmark exhibitions included Brian Clarke: The Art of Light at New York’s Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in 2021, showcasing more than 20 luminous glass screens with vibrant hues and dynamic forms.

Glass Screens from The Art of Light

Stained Glass Screen at MAD, NYC

Ardath Installation View from A Great Light

In 2023, Clarke  enthralled London audiences with A Great Light at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery, featuring monumental pieces such as the 42 meter Ardath screen and the haunting Stroud Ossuary (below).

Stroud Ossuary Installation View and Panel Detail (Below)

His final masterpiece, Concordia — a towering stained-glass installation at Bahrain International Airport — opened in April 2025. Spanning 34 × 17 meters, it melded Islamic geometric motifs with Bahraini flora and fauna, embodying a “metaphorical window onto paradise.”

Installation View, Newport Street Gallery, London

In a career marked by high-profile collaborations — from Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid, to Renzo Piano and Arata Isozaki — Brian Clarke redefined stained glass, layering abstraction, color, and light into urban works across continents.

His technical innovations included lead-free freestanding panels and digitally etched laminates. In 2024, he achieved a historic knighthood — the first such honor for a stained-glass artist.

I was fortunate to twice experience Clarke’s work firsthand: the immersive free-standing screens at MAD in 2021, and the dramatic pieces of A Great Light in London in 2023, each revealing a dynamic dialogue with light that transcends material. I am so grateful to be able to share my photos from those exhibitions in this post

Sir Brian Clarke leaves behind an unprecedented legacy — a radical rethinking of stained glass as an expressive, public medium. Though cancer ended his journey, his luminous creations will continue to inspire, transforming architecture and uplifting spirits.