Movies

Madonna’s brother, artist Christopher Ciccone, dies at 63

BBG News

As a cinephile who has witnessed the rise and fall of many stars, I must say that the news of Christopher Ciccone‘s passing has left me with a heavy heart. Having grown up in the era of MTV and pop culture dominance, I can vividly recall his contributions to Madonna’s meteoric rise to fame in the ’80s and ’90s.

63-year-old Christopher Ciccone, a well-known artist and interior designer who collaborated extensively with his elder sister, pop icon Madonna, during her meteoric rise to fame in the ’80s and ’90s, passed away on Friday. His death was due to cancer.

As reported by his family, Ciccone passed away tranquilly, with his cherished ones present, which included his spouse, the British actor Ray Thacker.

Last Sunday on Instagram, Madonna honored her brother by sharing a heartfelt post that highlighted their strong connection and admitted to the challenging aspects of their relationship.

For quite some time, he was my nearest fellow being,” expressed the music sensation. “Our connection is tough to articulate, but it stemmed from recognizing that we were unique and faced challenges for not conforming to societal norms. We held onto each other and danced our way through the turmoil of our youth as society’s expectations swirled around us.

According to his family, Ciccone grew up as the fifth child and third son in Rochester, Michigan, where both his personal and creative personas flourished, revealing a profoundly artistic spirit within him.

Following his college dance education, he relocated to New York City in 1982, where Madonna, two years older than him, was already garnering attention in the downtown art and music circuit. He appeared as a backup dancer in the video for her hit song “Lucky Star” and held a significant position backstage during her successful tours.

Initially, Ciccone functioned as a wardrobe assistant, assisting Madonna in swift outfit changes during performances. However, his hard work led him to become the art director for Madonna’s scandalous Blonde Ambition tour in 1990, an event depicted in the documentary “Truth or Dare.” Additionally, he served as the tour manager on the Girlie Show tour in 1993. Later, Ciccone adorned several of Madonna’s homes and transitioned into a career as an interior designer. Notably, Ciccone was one of several influential gay men who shaped Madonna’s visual style and pop image.

The bond between the two siblings began to weaken around the late ’90s. Later in 2008, Ciccone released a memoir titled “Life With My Sister Madonna,” where he asserted that their relationship had deteriorated due to disagreements over creative and financial matters, as well as her marriage to British filmmaker Guy Ritchie. However, by the year 2012, Ciccone stated that they were once again on friendly terms.

More recently, he returned to Michigan, a place where his family manages a vineyard, and has been continuing his career as both a painter and an interior designer there.

2 weeks ago saw the passing of Ciccone, who had recently lost his stepmother, Joan, to cancer. His elder sibling, Anthony, passed away the previous year. Regrettably, their mother succumbed to breast cancer not long after Ciccone’s birth in 1963.

Ciccone is survived by his sister Madonna, husband Ray Thacker and father Silvio Ciccone.

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2024-10-07 01:01

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