The American Folk Art Museum mourns the passing of art historian, writer, and art collector William S. Arnett, on August 12, 2020.

Mr. Arnett’s immense contributions and rich legacy were highlighted in 2016 when AFAM presented him and the Souls Grown Deep Foundation with its annual Visionary Award. At the time, Senior Curator Valérie Rousseau noted that the projects led by Mr. Arnett “have not only been crucial to the conservation and recognition of artworks that had been left out of the American art canon, but they have been game-changers in pioneering a way forward on how to consider these artists today. His scholarly publications contain critical troves of knowledge, filled with insightful and informed contributions from multiple voices, framing a visual and ethical consciousness for new generations of art historians, critics, and curators.”

The museum’s staff and board extend its sympathies to Mr. Arnett’s four sons—Paul, Matt, Harry, and Tom—and his extended family.

Image: Thornton Dial (1928-2016), Stars of Everything, 2004, paint cans, spray paint cans, clothing, wood, steel, carpet, plastic straws, rope, oil, enamel, spray paint, and patching compound on canvas on wood, 98 x 101 1/2 in., collection of Souls Grown Deep Foundation. Photo by Steven Pitkin/Pitkin Studios