Phoebe Fairweather, a stepdaughter of sculptor John Chamberlain, leapt to her death from her Upper East Side home on Monday, September 14, 2015, reported The Daily News. She was 23 years old.
Phoebe Fairweather fell from 16th floor of 800 Fifth Ave., near E. 61st St., about 10:15 a.m., reported The Daily News. A witness, Gail Garcia, saw Fairweather and tried to stop her by yelling at her in English and Spanish. Fairweather was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell where she died, according to police sources.
Police say Fairweather had a history of mental instability and told relatives she believed that the FBI was watching her, reported the Daily Mail. In June 2015, she disappeared from the family's home in Shelter Island with assistance sought from the policy in finding her. She was found a day later, according to the Shelter Island Reporter.
Fairweather had recently dropped out of Barnard College to pursue her art. As an artist, Fairweather aimed to create "...pieces that are in dialogue with the great artists of the past, such as Joan Mitchell, Frank Stella, Helen Frankenthaler, and most notably her late step-father, John Chamberlain," according to her website.
Alexandra Fairweather and Phoebe Fairweather, right, attend Guild Hall's Summer Benefit.
Fairweather is survived by her mother and widow of Chamberlain, Prudence Fairweather, and sister Alexandra Fairweather. The siblings attended the Ross School in East Hampton. Alexandra Fairweather screened her documentary on John Chamberlain, Heaartbeat, while a student there. She began filming Chamberlain when she was 14 years old.
American sculptor John Chamberlain (1927 - 2011) is best known for his Abstract Expressionist sculptures created from crushed cars and scrap metal. His work is held in the collection of Guild Hall, the Parrish Art Museum and other museums internationally. His work has been exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide. His most recent solo show in The Hamptons, "John Chamberlain: It Ain't Cheap" was held at the Dan Flavin Art Institute in 2013.
Details on services have not yet been announced.
__________________________________
Copyright 2015 Hamptons Art Hub LLC. All rights reserved.