In Memoriam: Celeste Dupuy-Spencer ’08
Celeste Dupuy-Spencer ’08. Photo from Instagram
Celeste Dupuy-Spencer ’08, acclaimed painter and activist, whose work chronicled topical issues by turning her striking and audacious lens on inequality, gender, and society, has died. She was 46.
Celeste grew up locally in Rhinebeck and took classes at Bard on and off from 2003 to 2007, with stints at the Art Institute of Chicago and a Yale summer program. She would go on to credit her time at Bard as pivotal in her journey to become serious about her work. Professors Amy Sillman MFA ’95 and Nicole Eisenman confronted Celeste as a student and plied her with books by and about feminist art, women artists, and gay women artists. Celeste recalled in the Fall 2015 Bardian magazine: ”They wanted me to work hard, get smart, educate myself, engage, because it was my absolute responsibility... Any career I have is directly because of my training at Bard.”
Depuy-Spencer went on the be part of the 2017 Whitney Biennial and Made in LA at the Hammer Museum. She was represented by Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in Los Angeles, which is opening an exhibition of her work this month.
Celeste's father, writer Scott Spencer, still lives in Rhinebeck and has taught in the Bard Prison Initiative. Coco Dupuy, Celeste’s mother lives in New Orleans.
Celeste life and work has been recognized in the New York Times and ArtNews.
Post Date: 04-22-2026
Celeste grew up locally in Rhinebeck and took classes at Bard on and off from 2003 to 2007, with stints at the Art Institute of Chicago and a Yale summer program. She would go on to credit her time at Bard as pivotal in her journey to become serious about her work. Professors Amy Sillman MFA ’95 and Nicole Eisenman confronted Celeste as a student and plied her with books by and about feminist art, women artists, and gay women artists. Celeste recalled in the Fall 2015 Bardian magazine: ”They wanted me to work hard, get smart, educate myself, engage, because it was my absolute responsibility... Any career I have is directly because of my training at Bard.”
Depuy-Spencer went on the be part of the 2017 Whitney Biennial and Made in LA at the Hammer Museum. She was represented by Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in Los Angeles, which is opening an exhibition of her work this month.
Celeste's father, writer Scott Spencer, still lives in Rhinebeck and has taught in the Bard Prison Initiative. Coco Dupuy, Celeste’s mother lives in New Orleans.
Celeste life and work has been recognized in the New York Times and ArtNews.
Post Date: 04-22-2026