Dash Snow Confirmed Dead From Heroin Overdose

[UPDATE BELOW] A not totally unsurprising rumor is going around that downtown artist Dash Snow has died of a heroin overdose. Snow is the maternal grandson of Robert Thurman (and nephew of actress Uma Thurman), and his lifestyle was well-documented in a sprawling New York magazine piece two years ago. That lifestyle at one point included making what he called a Hamster’s Nest with friends, where they would "shred up 30 to 50 phone books, yank around all the blankets and drapes, turn on the taps, take off their clothes, and do drugs—mushrooms, coke, ecstasy—until they feel like hamsters."

Snow's work was exhibited at galleries like The Royal Academy in London, the Whitney, Deitch Projects and Saatchi Gallery (here are some selected works from the latter).

Gawker says they heard the news of the 27-year-old's death this morning from multiple sources. One of Dash's best friends, artist Earsnot/Kunle Irak, posted on his Twitter earlier: "YOU HAD TO INJECT HEROIN RIGHT? YOU COULDN'T JUST... :( DUDE! I FUCKING HATE YOU. YOU ARE THE WORST GUY EVER! FUCK YOU! FUCKING TURD! Dude." And another artist friend, CLAW, has been posting about the sad news as well. There has been no official comment released yet to confirm the rumor, but it's certainly spreading all over the place.

UPDATE: Blogue has now posted a visual tribute to the artist, confirming his death. And The NY Times reports that he died at the "Lafayette House, a hotel in Lower Manhattan. His death was confirmed by his grandmother, the art collector and philanthropist Christophe de Menil, who said that Mr. Snow had died of a drug overdose." She noted "that he had been in rehabilitation in March and had been off drugs until very recently."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on July 14, 2009 2:02 PM

Comments [rss]

TakeBackOurCommunities

Awww this makes me really sad. Another rich white "artistic" guy dies from a drug overdose... how ironic?

Amanda Harletsch

eewww!

I won't miss his "art".

The cult to "ugly" trashy art has gone longer than it should.

lamgray

So did he trade coke for a polaroid camera to "make his cameras" or even worse. . .did he use a digital camera and fake polaroids with badly exposed shots on the computer?

Some have actually made cameras out of tin foil and cardboard and made contact prints. . .

Whatever, not impressed with his work, if you want to call it that

McFister

I know his 'art' and I think it sucks.

villagegal

Can't believe the vicious comments...as usual by people who didn't know him. There was a lot of misinformation in the New York piece.

NannyState

Oh god, I'm fucking high...

Think2wice

He could have just snorted Dexatrim to get that emaciated dilettante look.

NannyState

Whatever...I gotta go bang some noise into my veins...

JacqueMehoff

thanks to this post, I know another person who had everything yet has nothing.

the rich are different.

chuzzlewit

when i die, no matter what i do between now and then, and no matter how badly some of you may want to, please please PLEASE don't publicly call me a "turd". please.

SC

Alright, but can we call you that until then? Turd.

chuzzlewit

honky.

sexisicilian

what do people expect when they do drugs ... to live happily ever after like Snow White

camera_club

http://www.tinyvices.com/dash_snow_16

I've always found genuine beauty in his Polaroids. his dirty, dirty Polaroids.

JUST A NORMAL GUY (THE ORIGINA

WELL CAN IT BE THAT THE WROLD HAS LOST THE BEST SPERM ARTIST SENSE PEREZ HILTON?

ak

You were funnier a week ago.

JUST A NORMAL GUY (THE ORIGINA

WELL 'A.K.' I AM SORRY TO HEAR THAT BECASUE I HAVE ALL WAYS ENJOYED YOU'RE SINCERE THOUGHTS FROM THE LAST WEEK TO THIS WEEK, AND I THINK YOU LOOK GREAT IN YOU'RE HOODY WITH YOU'RE BILLIE IDLE SNEAR, DO'NT EVER CHANGE