Simone Forti, the innovative choreographer whose work blended performance art with dance and contemporary art, passed away at 91. Born in Italy, her career spanned New York, Los Angeles, and Rome. Known for her boundless curiosity and formal rigor, she explored movement, painting, poetry, video and holography.

‘The more you look, you will find her standing in the midst of nearly every avant-garde that hit New York and California over five decades at least,’ Glenn Phillips, chief curator at the Getty Research Institute, remarked. Her archives are now housed there, a testament to her enduring influence on art.

Forti was open about her 20-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, which she managed throughout her career without compromising her artistic output. She mixed boundless curiosity with formal rigor, contributing to the broader creative spectrum of performance and contemporary art.

The loss of such a pioneering artist is significant; Forti's work has been instrumental in bridging disciplines and fostering innovation. Her approach to movement as an expression of human experience continues to inspire generations of artists.