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Domino

1929 – 1990

American artist Donald Merrick

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About Domino

Lived 1929 – 1990 (aged 61). Domino was an artist, military personnel and visual artist.

Donald Merrick (August 11, 1929 – October 14, 1990), better known by his pen name Domino, was an American artist active in the mid to late twentieth century. He is best known for his erotic male illustrations. In 1984, he was profiled by The New York Times and his art was exhibited by at the Zim-Lerner Gallery. ) However, Merrick married a woman and during the marriage he hid and frequently destroyed his erotic art.

Merrick's erotic art was heavily influenced by the working men he encountered in his youth, including dairy farmers, iron miners and U.S. Army recruits. Merrick befriended other gay erotic artists, His erotic art was exhibited for the first time at Stomper's Gallery in New York from December 1978 through January 1979.

Merrick died of AIDS-related complications on October 14, 1990.

In 2016, Merrick's work was featured in a retrospective by the GLBT Historical Society entitled "Stroke: From Under the Mattress to the Museum Walls." In 2023, the Tom of Finland Foundation featured Merrick's erotic art in AllTogether, an exhibition of queer art to celebrate pride month. The Leather Archives & Museum in Chicago holds some of his surviving art.

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Important facts

People in Domino's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Domino's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Domino?

American artist Donald Merrick (1929–1990)

When was Domino born?

Domino was born on 11 August 1929.

When did Domino die?

Domino died on 14 October 1990.

What was Domino's occupation?

Domino was an artist, military personnel and visual artist.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Domino

· Wikidata: Q131143920

· DBpedia: Domino (artist)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Domino. https://biography.guide/domino/

MLA: "Domino." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/domino/.

Chicago: "Domino." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/domino/.

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