Mark Fisher: a tribute

It is with deep sadness that the university pays tribute to Mark Fisher, who died last week.

A lecturer in the Department of Visual Cultures, Mark was a scholar whose talent burned fiercely. He inspired students, colleagues and the public with his work as a music writer and critical theorist.

At Goldsmiths Mark was course leader for the MA Contemporary Art Theory, and before that the MA in Aural/Visual Cultures. He taught the MA Special Subject Vocalities and Postcapitalist Desire and BA courses on Popular Modernism and Beyond Boundaries.

Away from the university Mark was familiar to so many at the author of the influential blog k-punk. There as well as in his academic output his work focussed on the intersection between underground music, critical theory and radical politics.

His first book, Capitalist Realism: Is there no alternative?, published by Zero Books in 2009, went on to become a best-seller and was followed in 2014 by Ghosts of My Life: Writings on Depression, Hauntology and Lost Futures.

His latest book, The Weird And The Eerie, was published two weeks ago.

Mark helped found Warwick University’s Cybernetic Culture Research Unit before joining Goldsmiths.

He was much loved at the university and his loss has shocked the Goldsmiths community. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, colleagues and all those who were lucky enough to have known him.

Colleagues have created a memorial fund to help support Mark’s family.

Following this sad event the university is providing support to students and staff. Students can access support via the Wellbeing pages while Staff can find out about support via Goldmine.

Mark’s life will be commemorated on campus, with details to follow in due course.