Remembering Modern Man

Arts | April 17th, 2025

By Raul Gomez

Modern Man was a gentle soul. If you were down or just wanted a friend, he’d be there for you.

I remember the first day I met Modern Man. It was Jeremiah Fuglseth and me. He wanted to write about this legendary artist he’d met. When I stepped into Modern’s studio, I saw a giant canvas, a 12-foot tall canvas, airbrushed in a deep, dark red. It was of Hitler and a group of men. When Modern turned off the lights, you would see this group of dead bodies crammed into the lower half of the piece, glowing in phosphorescent paint. Modern made it with his own blood; he wanted to exemplify all the loss of blood from all those people. It was dark to say the least, but it brought a new light to my mind. I had never in my life seen art separated from its wall value. This piece respected nothing about wall art. You couldn’t fit in on any wall. It was painful and hard to stare at without losing your breath.

As I got to know Modern, I realized that none of his art fit anyone’s walls. He wanted to create his vision without the constraints of what fits with your couch or aesthetic design. He wanted creation with meaning and intensity. From Modern, I learned that when we focus our minds on what drives art, the financial drive, it skews what we’re saying in the first place; that frame forces us to fit in that little corner on the wall.

Modern said to hell with that. He was brave enough to create in whatever medium he was drawn to, about any subject he cared about. He was truly free to create…anything.

I have been on the phone now for weeks with friends asking about his death. Many thought this was the act of a wild artist with a wild heart and mysterious feelings. That was not the case.

When Modern checked out of Essentia, he had been there for five days. When he left, he had a colostomy bag, a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease and severe diabetes. His dear friend Stanley Hoglund had been there with him for that whole period. As he was driving Modern home, even he was baffled by the grocery bag of medications and pages and pages of care instructions Modern would have to endure.

Modern decided not to.

I say this with the understanding that our country has a real challenge with people taking their lives. People with mental conditions, fear and desperation. That was not Modern. I believe he knew exactly what he was doing and I wish our laws could have allowed him to do this with the support of all the friends and family that loved him dearly. Modern was 72. He created work his whole life and I believe he had the right to exit Earth how he chose. I wish it was with the dignity he deserved.

On April 26th at 5 p.m., we will celebrate the life of Modern Man. It will be held at the Sons of Norway Kringen Lodge (722 2nd Avenue. N. in Fargo). There will be a selection of Modern’s art, an open mic to share your Modern Man stories. Our own Diane Miller will perform for the close.

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