Overview
- He had been hospitalized with interstitial lung disease and was on oxygen while waiting for a transplant, according to family accounts reported by local outlets.
- His final burst of work included the Oct. 1 release of The Sun at the End of the Road, a new exhibition, and a planned Steppenwolf stage adaptation that was postponed due to his illness.
- Fitzpatrick’s art is held by major institutions including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art and the Met, reflecting decades of influence in visual and literary arts.
- He designed Steppenwolf Theatre’s 2021 mural Night and Day in the Garden of All Other Ecstasies and maintained deep ties to the company over more than two decades.
- He is survived by his wife, Michele, and their adult children, Max and Gaby, who were with him at the hospital, as peers and institutions share tributes to his life and work.