Photographer Shawn Mortensen has died.
More about his work and his life here.
Shawn's hearty career as a photojournalist and artist took him around the world several times over, unselfishly spreading his endless supply of good vibes as he went. Particularly renowned for his portraits of musicians, artists, and entertainers, Shawn photographed a stunning array of pop culture demigods in his 20+ year career including Keith Haring, Tupac, Henry Rollins, James Brown, The Notorious BIG, Bjork, Jun Takahashi, Leo Fitzpatrick, Christopher Wool, Mark Gonzales, Ed Ruscha, Vivienne Westwood, The Bad Brains, Dash Snow, Grandmaster Flash, Neil Young, MIA, John Lee Hooker, Nigo, Sofia Coppola, Agnes B., Sonic Youth, The Beastie Boys, Keith Richards, Chloe Sevigny, The Foo Fighters, Everlast, Kraftwerk, Wu Tang Clan, and The Sex Pistols, to name but a few.(Thanks, Richard Metzger)
the latest
latest episodes
We will miss you Shawn, Rest in Peace big Brother, Cengiz & Jay
Photographers like Mortenson don't get near enough credit for the creative talents and artists that they are.
fantastic work. Anyone know cause of death?
Who are "The Bad Brains" I know Bad Brains, but not these "The Bad Brains"
"Oh let me tell you
The same old story, no factual glory
I against I against I against I"
He was a fine photographer. Mortality stinks.
Am I the only one seeing the nipple in the photo?
Rest in peace Shawn. What was the cause of death? He was only 43.
I will miss you, Shawn; we had so much fun and laughed so much in this life - I wish you a safe journey to the next.
Camilla x
I met Shawn in 1981. We went to school together.
He was political, artistic and musically informed.
Always.
Our lives intersected at funny angles in the years following but we always saw the same light, the same righteous beauties. It was a rare pleasure that we would meet somewhere in the world, odd, when we least expected it.
In Brooklyn, when it wasn't cool in 1989, at an antipodean rock concert, on a rooftop in downtown or the streets of silverlake at midnite, both out for a walk after a late dinner....
I saw him at a party thrown by an art collective he was hoping to rent a space from and I was honored to play music at and we both took for granted that our serendipity/happenstance would bring us together, no need to even exchange numbers.
Today I decided to look him up on "myfriendsterspacebook" read the news and I couldn't be sadder.
Life
can really jack you up
the most.
If you didn't know Shawn, then bummer for you.
If you did know Shawn, then you know how Fucked we are.
We are diminished by one.
Zeroes and Ones.
One less super intelligent human who cares.
Even about zeroes.
Aloha Shawn
Add my name to the long list of people who will miss you...
Patrick Lavalle
Like Pat Lavelle I went to school with Shawn, but didn't really know him. From an extremely loose web of high school classmates I've now read about Shawn's accomplishments. I'm saddened by our loss because Shawn actually did accomplish something and yet is now gone. Far too early, gone.
My condolences to everyone who knew Shawn.
Ray Spence
Like Pat and Ray, I went to school with Shawn. While I never saw him after high school, my recollections of him confirm that he made his dreams into the life he lived. While I am saddened to hear of his passing, he made a difference. He was a good soul. Bill
Death of Shawn Mortensen
When my father died many moons ago, the fact hit home not to wait to tell people that we love and run across in life anything positive that is in our minds at the time. Life is short. Time is short. So here goes after the fact.
I recently found out that Shawn Mortensen had passed away this year. I am always surprised when I hear about someone dying from high school or from life in general. Part of me thinks… “Wow, I outlived another one,” but the bigger part of me feels loss and wonderment.
I remember riding a big yellow school bus with Shawn for a year or two to El Toro High. At the time, he was heavily into The Who and looked right out of the movie Quadropenia.
I remember him having these great eyes that were hard not to look at. People’s eyes always interested me. Eyes are the key to the soul. When talking to him, I would find myself spacing out sometimes just to look at them. He would realize that he lost me in the conversation and would laugh.
At school, he was a part of a small click of aspiring artists and musicians. Like most people from back then, I lost track of him.
It was satisfying to see that he had excelled in a field that I love along with having many diverse adventures and experiences along the way.
Rest in peace Shawn Mortensen and to all of those to follow.
Sean Surlow