The concert production industry has lost one of its most influential figures this week, with the death of the legendary concert stage designer, Mark Fisher.
Mark Fisher, photographed during U2's 360° tour in 2009 (photo: Steve Moles)
Having been responsible for the design of most of the landmark touring stadium shows of the past three decades, Fisher occupied a unique position in the industry. He trained as an architect at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, graduating in 1971, and later, having already made his name in the world of concert design with his work on Pink Floyd’s The Wall (1980), he teamed up with Jonathan Park to create the Fisher Park Partnership in 1984. The Mark Fisher Studio, Stufish, was founded in 1994.
Fisher’s designs throughout this period encompass many of the largest, most innovative, most complex and most memorable touring concert productions of recent times. In addition to Pink Floyd, for whom he also designed The Division Bell stage in 1994, Fisher was best known for his ground-breaking designs for U2 (ZooTV in 1992, PopMart in 1997 and the record-breaking 360° in 2009) and The Rolling Stones (including Steel Wheels in 1989, Voodoo Lounge in 1994, Bridges to Babylon in 1997 and A Bigger Bang in 2005). He also designed stage sets for Tina Turner, George Michael, Jean-Michel Jarre, Robbie Williams, AC/DC, Madonna and Lady Gaga, among many others. In 2012, he designed the stage for the hugely successful Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace.
Fisher also designed for many high profile one-off events such as the Opening Ceremonies of the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006, the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, and both the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games in 2010. In theatre, he designed sets for the hit musical We Will Rock You, and Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis and KA shows.
Fisher was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty The Queen for his work on the Millennium Dome Show in 2000, and a further honour, MVO, for his contribution to her Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002.
A statement from Stufish said: “We are sad to announce that the stage designer and architect Mark Fisher, OBE, MVO, RDI, died yesterday in London aged 66. He passed away peacefully in his sleep at the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead with his wife Cristina at his side, after a long and difficult illness, which he suffered with stoicism and courage and his customary good humor.”
The statement concluded: “His work influenced not only the colleagues and crews with whom he worked but also surprised and delighted the many millions of people who experienced his designs all over the world.”
http:// www.stufish.com
