List of Famous people who died in 2012

Michael Max Asher was a conceptual artist, described by The New York Times as "among the patron saints of the Conceptual Art phylum known as Institutional Critique, an often esoteric dissection of the assumptions that govern how we perceive art." Rather than designing new art objects, Asher typically altered the existing environment, by repositioning or removing artworks, walls, facades, etc.

Akira Tonomura was a Japanese physicist, best known for his development of electron holography and his experimental verification of the Aharonov–Bohm effect.

Konstantin Ivanovich Kobets was a Russian army general. In early 1991 he was serving as Deputy Chief of the Soviet General Staff for communications.

Nina Aleksandrovna Aleshina was a Russian architect and head of the design department Metrogiprotrans for the Moscow Metro for a decade. Nineteen stations of the subway system were projects she participated in or led. She was honored with many awards during her career, including the designation in 1985 of Honored Architect of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Shunpei Ueyama was a Japanese philosopher associated with the postwar Kyoto School. He graduated in philosophy from Kyoto University in 1943, and trained in a kamikaze human torpedo (gyorai:魚雷) squad. His main professional interest in philosophy were in the fields of logic, and American pragmatism, especially with its founding fathers Charles Sanders Peirce, William James and John Dewey. He was emeritus professor at Kyoto University.

The Rt Revd Michel Hrynchyshyn C.Ss.R. was the apostolic exarch of the Apostolic Exarchate in France, Benelux and Switzerland for the Ukrainians from when he was consecrated bishop on 30 January 1983 until his resignation in 2012. He was appointed by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 1982. He also was an advisor to the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and a member of Le conseil d'Eglises chrétiennes en France (CECEF). Hrynchyshyn was born in Buchanan, Saskatchewan.

Elliott Cook Carter Jr. was an American modernist composer. One of the most respected composers of the second half of the 20th century, he combined elements of European modernism and American "ultra-modernism" into a distinctive style with a personal harmonic and rhythmic language, after an early neoclassical phase. His compositions are known and performed throughout the world, and include orchestral, chamber music, solo instrumental, and vocal works. Carter was twice awarded the Pulitzer Prize.