Edmund Capon

Born in London, died in London, but Australia-based for most of the period between, Edmund Capon spent 33 years as the director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. His spell at the museum’s helm was typified by attempts to bring art back to the masses, taking the venue’s yearly admissions from 300,000 at the start of his spell to 1.3 million by the end. He oversaw the purchase of works by Cezanne and Picasso, as well as establishing a wing for aboriginal art. Health issues had forced him to be hospitalised in the UK at the end of last year, news some of the DDP’s top teams were clearly paying attention to.

Elsewhere, we can add another name to the “famous for being ill” picks whose deaths don’t get a frontpage write-up for reasons of sensitivity. And, fittingly, it’s the grandfather of the cancer mum pick, Drunkasaskunk, who scores – his first hit of the year.

Edmund Capon
11 June 1940 – 13 March 2019
Died aged 78 (seven picks)