Updated 7/23/13
Many of Fisher's colleagues shared tributes for our issues. We share them here:
“Mark’s death holds a great sadness for the host of family, friends, and colleagues that he leaves behind and who admired and loved him so much. After the shock of his passing, all of us are now trying to come to terms with the loss of someone who meant so much to us both personally and professionally. But more than anyone else I can think of, Mark leaves a legacy that is a very real one. His studio, Stufish, will continue to realize his work as will the multitude of companies and suppliers, all of whom gathered around him 20 years ago as he forged his way forward for the rest of us into a brave new world of design. The courage and imagination of his ideas changed the way that rock shows are now seen, and that’s something that will never change.’’—Patrick Woodroffe
“He was to me, a boss, a teacher, an inspiration, a friend.
From the moment we met and I interviewed for a job at his studio, his sense of warm authority was clear. He was a gentle genius. Mark changed people’s lives by allowing them into his. He did not suffer fools lightly but was very patient when explaining the ways of the world. His emails were legendary. He could use minimal words to have a maximum effect. He was generous and supporting, and he respected upcoming people and encouraged growth, passion, and high-quality ideas. We were blessed to work with him, learn from him, share in his vision, his humour, his life. We are honoured to have known him and to be able to carry on his name into the future and continue his work. He has defined who we are and will be.
We will miss him deeply.” —Ric Lipson, Stufish
“Mark made the impossible possible. He set the bar so high that he created a different definition of the word ‘spectacle.’ His credibility derived from his vast experience, his architectural background, and his expansive mind. When Mark said that it could be done, that was all anyone needed to hear. His visual renderings were works of art. Jumping out of his sketchbook and into a computer, they morphed into the projects we had the privilege to transform into reality. Mark’s vision not only saw the show in its entirety, but in what order it was assembled at the venue, and how each item broke apart for transportation. He paved the way for so many of our careers in the industry, and he provided the artists an environment to thrive. He made it all seem so effortless, and while doing all this intricate precise work, he did it with an impeccable sense of humor, the kind of humor that was somewhere in the middle of Monty Python and Spinal Tap, the kind of humor delivered with such a straight face, that most people didn’t know they were supposed to laugh at, the kind of humor we all need in our life, and the kind of humor which will be missed so much by so many!” —James “Winky” Fairorth, President & CEO, TAIT
“I first met Mark Fisher in a basement corridor at The Bartlett School of Architecture, London in 1996 during my architecture diploma presentations. As my external assessor, he was formidable, witty, sharp, and to the point, without much room for rhetoric. Mark critiqued my work with his trademark dry precision, and I walked away from my encounter thinking that my career in architecture was over before it had even begun.
To my great surprise, Mark asked me to join him as an assistant to work on the U2 PopMart Tour, and thus began a long and colourful relationship that resulted in my partnership with him at Stufish. Throughout the years, I was privileged to learn my trade from the very best and see the man apply his skills with joy, acerbic humour, and humility in an industry not known for its lack of ego.
Mark’s genius was to see the world as it is, focus on the essence, and push forward with the essential with an ability to clad the core of his analysis with a kind of beauty, sophistication, and boldness that was truly inspirational. The rest is history.” —Ray Winkler, Stufish
“When I first met Mark, I was struck by the fact that he never said much, particularly at meetings, which of course surprised me given the context. Mostly he sat there, writing, or at least, that’s what I thought. Actually, he was doodling. He wasn’t one for paperwork, but he always had that little black book, filled with drawings and notations of sorts.
And then, every so often, he’d say something, usually to great effect given that he said so little. And in his remarks, he revealed himself, intelligent, insightful, and most of all, respectful.
Thank you, Mark.” —Luc Lafortune
“When I was doing Fremont Street in Las Vegas with Jon Jerde, I had been hired to create some sort of a parade down the street and was having a problem upstaging the neon. I was battling for weeks to figure out something that was equal to the location. At the time, I was doing MTV work and was in the phase of putting TV monitors over the stages. This was prior to the LED boom. It occurred to me to make the canopy into a giant screen. When I presented it to Steve Wynn and John, neither jumped at the idea, and so I spent a week trying to give them the confidence that it would work, but I was making no progress! Mark came to town for the Stones’ Steel Wheels tour, I think, and so I thought it would be good to try to impress them with ‘Mark and the Stones.’ I set up a meeting with them and brought Mark. I did my presentation, and they both turned to Mark and said, ‘What do you think?’
Without a beat, Mark said, ‘You would be absolutely mad if you don’t do it.’ There was a moment of silence, and Steve Wynn said, ‘Okay, do it.’ That is all he said, and the meeting was adjourned. If it wasn’t for Mark, Fremont Street would be a very different place.” —Jeremy Railton
“I knew and admired his work, but I only met him once. We had dinner in Lancaster with Michael Tait and some guys from his office. Needless to say, as a young designer sitting with two of the greatest minds in the business, it was at the same time incredibly intimidating and yet awe-inspiring—a night I will never forget.
—JUSTin Collie, Performance Environment Design Group
“I met Mark about a month after I moved to Hollywood from West Texas in the late 1980s, and I was invited to be one of his guests at the first night of the Steel Wheels concert at the LA Coliseum, my first concert ever. Over the course of the next 20 years, Mark not only helped launch and support my design career, but he and his amazing show designs have served as the shining example for me and my company and will for the rest of my life. Mark was my hero in every aspect of life and art.
Mark, in my opinion, is the father of the modern spectacle. I remember, after I had a few years of ups and downs working in live design, asking Mark for advice on how to process design with rock stars. His response: ‘We are asked to not only serve as set designers and architects to these unique projects, but we’re also expected to be artist, engineer, sculptor, friend, and many times priests to these special people, and finding the right mix of it all somehow helps the process along.’ Mark was the perfect mix of all of these things and more.” —Bruce Rodgers, Tribe Inc.
“‘Everyone must leave something in the room or left behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you’re there...The difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn-cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime.’ (Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451)
Mark was a gentle, soft-spoken man who possessed the genius to design some of the most outrageously brilliant sets ever created for the concert stage. He, indeed, is “the gardener,” and his indelible handprint will live on in all we strive for in future design for live performance.” —Peter Morse
The passing last week of architect/scenic designer Mark Fisher from cancer at age 66 spurred several tributes, including these from various rock icons:
"From rock music's evolution, from clubs and pubs into arenas and stadiums, Mark brought his very own inventive, architectural mind to some of the most spectacular shows ever created with music. When we worked together on the Millennium project, Mark was always interesting, challenging and supportive. Although the collaboration with him was pitting one strong minded, obstinate character against another, I grew very fond of him. I will miss him." –Peter Gabriel
“I had known Mark in a previous life. Before I managed U2, back in 1973 I worked on a movie called Zardoz, made in Ireland by the director John Boorman. It’s kind of a cult movie now, sci-fi, Sean Connery, Charlotte Rampling were in it. In those days, Mark Fisher was a student at the Architectural Association in London. He and a couple of other kind of hippies from the Architectural Association worked on that movie building inflatable buildings -- it was set in the future. I always thought [the Rolling Stones tours] was where they developed the technology, and John Boorman must have heard about it and brought them in. That was the first time I met him, and then some years later he cropped up in rock ‘n roll. We started working with him in 1991 and he was involved in every production since then.
“Mark was really a genius, that was the key to it. He was an architect with an extraordinary imagination. Some rock ‘n roll production people are very set in their ways, the band or the artist comes to them with an idea, ‘How can you execute it?’ Some [set designers], I’m afraid, say, ‘Oh, you can’t do that, that’s never been done before.’ But Mark was never like that. He turned everyone’s wild ideas into steel and lumber and canvas reality. He built extraordinary things for us.” --Paul McGuinness, manager, U2
“We are all extremely saddened to hear of the death of dear friend Mark Fisher. The remarkable sets he designed for us over last two decades played a major part in the success of all those tours. His passion, dedication and professionalism was infectious. 'We all loved his dry sense of humor and unflappable demeanor ...a quietly soft spoken genius. Mark will be sorely missed - not only by us, but by every single member of ours ..and any crew he worked with. Our sincere condolences go to his wife and family”' --Joint statement from The Rolling Stones.
Some readers sent in memories of the great Mark Fisher (1947-2013).
Mark was overjoyed to see Bono using and experimenting the now famous LEDMIC for the very first time. He was kind enough to let us use his own pictures. - Adrienne Gurman, 1212-Studio
Mark was a visionary!! He was probably the best lighting designer and the mentor to all the other great lighting designers of the world today!! Just to mention Pink Floyd or Steel Wheels only touches the tip of the iceberg with what this gifted man has shown us when it comes to the world of light. A teacher a legend, thank you for sharing your gift with the world. - Leslie Hucul
[Editor’s note: Mark Fisher was an architect/production designer, not a lighting designer.]
I will never forget you Mark. You were a huge inspiration in all my work, you were truly the best in the business, and I only hope that your creativity and architectural genius will hopefully live in me forever. Rest in peace, my dear Mark Fisher. - Alberto Romo-Chávez
Not many people get to meet their idol, fewer get to work with their idol, and the rarest is when you get to become friends with your idol. I am a better person for knowing the genius of Mark Fisher. - Michael Anderson