Tony Berlant: key obituary facts
Is Tony Berlant dead? Yes. Tony Berlant died on October 28, 2026, at age 85.
Cause of death: Tony Berlant's cause of death was reported as Alzheimer’s disease.
What was Tony Berlant known for?
He was an American artist (1941-2026).
More about Tony Berlant
Born: 7 August 1941.
Place of birth: New York City.
Gender: male.
Occupation: painter, sculptor, artist.
Nationality: United States.
Education: University of California, Los Angeles.
Children: Kate Berlant.
Career began: 1 January 1965.
Career ended: 1 January 2010.
Also known as: Anthony Berlant, Anthony Hanna Berlant.
Years active: 1970–present.
Tony Berlant, an American artist known for collage and sculpture, died October 28, 2026, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease, aged 85.
Born Anthony Hanna Berlant in New York City, he studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, earning a bachelor’s degree in painting in 1961, a master’s degree in painting in 1962 and an MFA in sculpture in 1963. His work became known for collages incorporating found metal objects; later, he made his own tin, allowing him to control its color.
Berlant also assembled a large collection of Southwestern Native American art, with particular interest in Mimbres pottery and Navajo rugs. He was a founding member of the Mimbres Foundation, a Los Angeles-based archaeological conservancy that worked to protect vulnerable Mimbres sites. The foundation also created the first photographic archive of known Mimbres figurative pottery, now maintained by the University of New Mexico. Berlant lived and worked in Santa Monica, California.