Painter/filmmaker/photographer/drawer/video artist Jeremy Blake has been missing since Tuesday, shortly after his girlfriend Theresa Duncan committed suicide. Since his clothes were found on a beach and combing of the waters has found no trace of him, many believe Blake is gone.

I learned of his work when Punch Drunk Love was released; my friend wrote a paper on the titles/transitions he created for the film, which we both love. His opus walks the line between analog & digital media, earning heat most from the former’s side. Naturally, like any wise person, he has decided to use the readily available digital tools to enhance, refine, or morph his analog elements and vice versa.

Instead of being a purist on either end, Blake used all relevant tools in his work. Hopefully without sounding too general, I appreciate his approach as a very fitting reflection of secular [i.e., non-fine art world] life; no matter how far we ascend into digitalism, I find that I [and future generations] will always have a firm analog component to my lifestyle. I open doors, write reminders on my hand, change light bulbs, and attend events vs. watching them at home. Much like the modern artist [in all sense of the word], he doesn’t just produce successfully in one medium, but, clearly, in many.

While the law typically declares a missing person dead after 7 years, it is assumed that Mr. Blake is no longer with us. We hope that’s not the case.

NY Times Article / Jeremy Blake Profile / Blake’s Gallery’s Page