The world lost another beloved celebrity on December 27, as actress and author Carrie Fisher died at age 60 following a heart attack.
Filmmaker George Lucas, who made Fisher a star by casting her as Princess Leia in the legendary “Star Wars” films, shared praise for the actress on the official franchise website, saying “She was extremely smart; a talented actress, writer and comedienne with a very colorful personality that everyone loved. In Star Wars she was our great and powerful princess—feisty, wise, and full of hope in a role that was more difficult than most people might think.”
Fisher’s performance, recently reprised in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens, won her legions of fans around the world. Leia and other characters from the series are currently the subject of the exhibition “Star Wars and the Power of Costume” at the Denver Art Museum, where a special guestbook has been set up in Fisher’s honor. Online, many in the art world have joined the chorus of those paying their respects on Instagram.
See their Instagram posts below.
Art world nightlife site Guest of a Guest opted for a David Bowie-tinged tribute, and New York’s Sargent’s Daughters posted a publicity shot of Fisher as her Star Wars character, posing with Chewbacca, while actress and art collector Gwyneth Paltrow shared a vintage shot of the star with a short note reading, “Oh goodness. Heavy heart today.”
Posting a shot of Fisher on set with co-star and on-screen love interest Harrison Ford, Marcel Dzama referenced the year’s abnormally high celebrity death count, noting “We lost royalty today. 2016 you’re killing me.”
Artists quickly turned to their work to memorialize the late Star Wars star, with Alex Israel sharing a striking portrait by Sam McKinniss, and street artist Invader posted one of his signature 8-bit style mosaics, of Fisher as Princess Leia, from the streets of Paris.
Art writer Katy Hamer chimed in with a shot of her tattoo, which Adam Guy Hays did for her in 2012. “Carrie Fisher lived a tough life and was not only a survivor but a conqueror,” she wrote. “I didn’t think the tattoo would be a memorial this soon.”
Other artistic Instagram posts included a poignantly-elegant cut paper send-up Leia and Han Solo’s romance from Bina Santos, a tiny crocheted version of the princess by Sandy Crochet, a Lego tribute by Clara Heloisa, and drawings by Celesiana Corn, and Lae Luu. Even someeecards got in on the action, posting images of Fisher in their own characteristic style.