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John Henry
About the artist...
For many years John Henry's large-scale public works
have had a distinctive and seemingly similar appearance. His signature
pieces are disbursed throughout the world in public, private and
museum collections.
Most recently his work has become less uniform in regard to color
and shape allowing for a more varied and flexible approach to specific
sites. He is presently building a series of works which are suspended
from above as well as pieces which are both large in scale and extend
out from the surface. There has also been significant change in
his large scale free standing works which continue to push the envelope
of engineering.
The use of automotive finishes as well as traditional gold and
palladium gilding has also contributed to an expanded vocabulary
within Henry's formal approach to sculpture. John Henry's sculpture
is designed, engineered, fabricated and erected by his own organization.
He has a long track record extending more than 30 years of successful
projects with local, state and federal governments.
He is particularly sensitive to issues of appropriateness when
working in the public arena. His experience in building works which
interact with architecture and the environment is well documented.
The selection of materials and finish in Henry's sculpture is governed
by the individual project requirements which assure structural integrity
and minimum maintenance. Numerous site visits and interaction with
community citizenry is an integral element in his conceptual development
of the design process.
Biography
Born Lexington, Kentucky, 1943.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS |
| 2005 |
“John Henry: In the Desert”, Buschlen
Mowatt Galleries, Palm Desert, California |
| 2004 |
Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida (January) |
| 2003 |
“Steel”, Thomas McCormick Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
(October) |
| |
Bal Harbour Shops, Bal Harbour, Florida (Dec 2003 –
May 2004) |
| 2002-03 |
“New Monuments” Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis,
Missouri |
| 2001 |
“Wandering Spirit”, University of Camerino, Camerino,
Italy (January) |
| |
“New Works” T. Curtsnoc Fine Arts, Miami, Florida
(December) |
| 2000 |
“John Henry in Hanover” KO 25 Gallery, Hanover,
Germany (May) |
| |
“John Henry” Hunter Museum of American Art, Chattanooga,
Tennessee |
| 1999 |
“New Works” John Henry at T. Curtsnoc Fine Arts,
Miami, Florida |
| 1998 |
“New Works” John Henry at Thomas McCormick Works
of Art, Chicago, Illinois |
| 1997 |
“New Works”, View Gallery, New York, New York
(October) |
| 1995 |
“Metal, Shape and Time – a Synthesis”, Springfield
Art Museum, Springfield, Missouri |
| 1993 |
Seo Hwa Gallery, Seoul, Korea |
| 1991 |
Jaffee Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida |
| |
Ann Norton Sculpture Garden, Palm Beach, Florida |
| 1990 |
Nina Owen Ltd, Chicago |
| 1988-89 |
“Evolution In Scale” Twenty Year Retrospective,
Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas; Museum of
Art, Ft Lauderdale, Florida; Museum of Fine Arts, St Petersburg,
Florida; Hunter Museum of Art, Chattanooga, Tennessee
|
| 1987 |
Matthew Scott Gallery, Miami, Florida |
| 1986 |
Bell Gallery, Rhinebeck, New York |
| 1983 |
ConStruct, North Miami, Florida |
| 1981 |
ConStruct, Chicago |
| 1980 |
Gallery 10, Aspen, Colorado |
| 1977 |
Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, Missouri |
| 1976 |
Greenway Plaza, Houston, Texas |
| |
Laguna Gloria Museum of Art, Austin, Texas (September) |
| 1975 |
Riverside Park, New York City |
| 1973 |
Illinois State Museum, Springfield, llinois |
| 1972 |
Dorsky Gallery, New York City |
| 1971, 1969 |
Richard Gray Gallery, Chicago |
| |
| SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS |
| 2004 |
Chicago Sculpture, Foundry Gallery, Chicago, IL (December) |
| 2002 |
Sculpture Symposium and Exhibition, Schwerein, Wiligrad, Germany
|
| 2001 |
“John Henry & Jae Hahn”, Gallery Seo Hwa,
Seoul, Korea (December) |
| 2000 |
“Sculpture 2000” Robert McClain & Co., Houston,
Texas (June) |
| 1998 |
Robert McClain Fine Arts, Houston, Texas. |
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Connecticut Sculpture Park, Washington, Connecticut (Oct) |
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Art Chicago, at Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois (May), Thomas
McCormick Works of Art, Chicago, Illinois |
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“Drawings by Sculptors” and Maquettes, Print Works
Gallery, Chicago, Illinois (May) |
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“Richard Hunt and Friends” Krasl Art Center, St.
Joseph, Missouri |
| 1997 |
Group Exhibition, Kwangju City, Korea |
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“Recent Sculptures” View Gallery, New York, New
York |
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Pier Walk “97”- Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois (May) |
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“BOOM” T. Curtsnoc- Grand Opening (Sept) |
| 1996 |
“Manif Seoul 96”, Seoul Art Center, Art Expo,
Seoul, Korea |
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“Cerrillos Cultural Center”, Cerrillos, New Mexico
(July) |
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“Art In Chicago, 1945-1995”, Museum of Contemporary
Art, Chicago, Illinois |
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“Socrates Sculpture Park 10th Anniversary Show” |
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“Art Chicago 96”, Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois |
| 1995 |
Project 30×30, Museum ‘T Coopmanshû, The
Netherlands |
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“Metal, Shape and Time – a Synthesis”, Springfield
Art Museum, Springfield, Missouri |
| 1994 |
Art Miami, Miami Beach, Florida |
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Project 30×30, Wilhelm-Hack Museum, Ludwigshaffen, Germany |
| 1993 |
International Art Expo, Chicago, Illinois |
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Lineart, Ghent, Belgium |
| 1992 |
The European Fine Art Fair, Maastricht, The Netherlands |
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Art Chicago, Chicago, Illinois |
| 1991 |
International Art Expo, Tokyo, Japan |
| 1991-89 |
Traveling Exhibitions: Marseille, France; Geneva, Switzerland;
Hasselet, Belgium; Barcelona, Spain; throughout the State of
Florida
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| 1990-89 |
“Florida’s Finest” North Miami Center of
Contemporary Art, North Miami, Florida; Capitol Gallery, Tallahassee,
Florida
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| 1989 |
“Six Florida Sculptors”, Thomas Center Gallery,
Gainesville, Florida |
| 1988 |
“Made in Florida” University of South Florida
Art Museum, Tampa, Florida |
| 1987 |
Contemporary Sculpture from Florida Collections, University
Gallery, College of Fine Arts, University of Florida, Gainesville,
Florida |
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Inaugural Exhibition of Sculpture, Cleveland Center for Contemporary
Art, Cleveland, Ohio |
| 1986 |
“Heavy Mettle”, Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale,
Florida |
| 1985 |
Group Show, The Arts Club of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois |
| 1984 |
Richard Gray Gallery, Chicago, Models for Illinois State Commissions |
| 1983 |
“Eight American Sculptors”, Metropolitan Museum
and Art Center, Coral Gables, Florida |
| 1982 |
“American Eight”, Hope College, Holland, Michigan,
Sponsored by Interpace Corporation |
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ConStruct South Sculpture Park, Inaugural Exhibition, Miami,
Florida |
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Chicago International Art Expo, Mayor Byrne Mile of Sculpture,
Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois |
| 1982-81 |
Group Show, ConStruct, Chicago, Illinois |
| 1981 |
“American Eight” Parsippany, New Jersey; Ashland,
Ohio
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| 1980 |
ConStruct Traveling Sculpture Exhibition, Hempstead, New York;
Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois; Arts Festival of Atlanta, Georgia;
Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque, New Mexico; “The Sculptors of
ConStruct”, Middendorf/Lane Gallery, Washington D.C.
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“American Eight” Memorial Art Gallery, University
of Rochester, New York; New Britain Museum, New Britain, Connecticut
|
| 1979 |
“Illinois Invitational”, Springfield, Illinois |
| 1980-78 |
Group Sculpture & Drawing Shows, ConStruct, Chicago |
| 1978 |
“Chicago: The City and Its Artists 1945-1978”,
University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor |
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“Chicago Abstractionists: Romanticized Structures”,
University of Missouri at Kansas City |
| 1977 |
“Sculpturescape”, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 1976 |
“Super Sculpture”, New Orleans, Louisiana |
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Art in the Park, Atlanta, Georgia |
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“The Chicago Connection”, Crocker Museum, Sacramento
California, Traveling Exhibition |
| 1975 |
Monumental Sculpture, Houston, Texas |
| 1974 |
Space, Scale & Urban Environment, Illinois Center, Chicago |
| 1973 |
Sculpture Off the Pedestal, Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| 1970 |
Painting & Sculpture Today, Indianapolis Museum, Indiana |
| 1969 |
Chicago 8 Conspiracy Exhibition, LoGuidice Gallery, Chicago,
Illinois |
| 1968 |
Monumental Sculpture Exhibition PACGallery, Chicago |
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Eight American Sculptors, Equitable Plaza, Chicago |
| 1963 |
Borenson Gallery, Burien, Washington |
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EDUCATION |
| 1961-65 |
University of Kentucky |
| 1962 |
University of Washington |
| 1966-69 |
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, B.F.A. |
| 1967 |
Illinois Institute of Technology |
| 1968-69 |
University of Chicago |
| 1996 |
Honorary Doctor of Arts, University of Kentucky |
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| AWARDS & COMMISSIONS |
| 2004 |
Chattanooga Mayor’s Office Distinguished
Artist Award, Chattanooga, TN |
| 2003 |
Chattanooga State, College on the River, Chattanooga, TN Campus
Gateway Commission, “Transitions” |
| 2002 |
Governor’s National Award in the Arts, Commonwealth
of Kentucky |
| 2000 |
Toto Lotto Foundation of Lower Saxony, Commissioned as a gift
to the City of Hanover, Germany for the “Kunst Mile”
“Symphony in Rott” |
| 1999 |
Park Place Office Park, Commission, Napierville, Illinois |
| 1997 |
United Capital Corp., Commission, Great Neck, New York |
| 1995 |
Coopers & Lybrand, Commission, Miami, Florida |
| 1994 |
American Bankers Life Insurance Group, Commission, “New
Directions”, Miami, Florida |
| 1991 |
Sonje Museum of Contemporary Art, Commission, “Dance
of the Sun”, Kyongju City, Korea |
| 1990 |
Florida Individual Artists Fellowship |
| 1989 |
Florida Art In State Buildings, Board of Regents, Florida
Arts Council, Florida State and Florida A & M University,
Joint Engineering School, “Journey to the Mountain Shire”,
Tallahassee, Florida |
| 1988 |
Florida Art In State Buildings, Florida Arts Council, University
of Florida “Alachua”, Gainesville, Florida |
| 1987 |
Temple Beth Am, Commission, “Mattathias’ Legacy”
South Miami, Florida |
| 1985 |
State of Illinois Capital Development Board Commission, Central
Atrium, State of Illinois Center, Chicago, Illinois |
| 1982 |
Dade County Art in Public Places, South Miami Metrorail Station
“Paciencia”, South Miami, Florida |
| 1975 |
National Endowment for the Arts, Individual Artist Grant |
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| SELECTED WORKS IN PUBLIC PLACES |
| 2003 |
“Ice Blue”, Grounds at Lincoln Plating, Lincoln,
NE
|
| 2002 |
“Fulcrum”, Eschborn, Frankfurt a.M., Germany (October) |
| 2000 |
“Shen Blue” Central Park, City of Shenzhen, China.
(October) |
| 1999 |
“Wake Dance” University of Nebraska, Sheldon Memorial
Gallery & Sculpture Gardens, Lincoln, Nebraska |
| 1994 |
“Gateway” Commissioned by Grove Isle Yacht &
Tennis Club, Coconut Grove, Florida |
| 1992 |
Harold Washington Public Library, “David’s Tower”,
Chicago, Illinois. |
| 1991 |
Sonje Museum of Contemporary Art, “Dance of the Sun”,
Kyongju city, Korea |
| 1989 |
Florida State and Florida A&M University, “To The
Mountain Shire”, Joint Engineering Complex, Tallahassee,
Florida. |
| 1988 |
University of Florida, “Alachua”, Marston Science
and Engineering Library, Gainesville, Florida |
| 1986 |
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, situated
on the university grounds |
| 1985 |
Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska, commissioned
by the Alaska State Council on the Arts and The Alaska State
Department of Transportation as a part of Alaska’s Art
in Public Places Program. The sculpture hangs overhead in the
domestic arrival and departure complex in the main terminal. |
| 1982 |
State of Illinois Center, Chicago, Illinois, the sculpture
situated on the main floor at the entrance of the building was
commissioned by The Capital Development Board of the State of
Illinois as a part of the State For Art Program. |
| 1981 |
Dade County, Florida, Miami, Florida, South Miami Metro rail
Station, commissioned by the Dade County Art in Public Places
Program |
| 1979 |
Bradley Sculpture Garden, (Milwaukee Art Museum) Milwaukee
Wisconsin, purchased by Mrs. Alan Bradley in 1979. |
| 1978 |
City of Sioux City, Iowa, Downtown Mall, Sioux City, Iowa,
commissioned through grants from the National Endowment for
the Arts and Iowa Beef. |
| 1974 |
Governors State University, Park Forest South, Illinois, National
Endowment for the Arts Works of Art In Public Places Commission. |
| 1973 |
Fort Worth Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas, a gift to the Museum
from Saran Corporation (Mr Samuel Dorsky) New York, New York |
| 1972 |
City of Rockford, Illinois, “Cape” purchased for
Beatty Park with funds from several agencies. |
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| SELECTED POSITIONS |
| 1969 |
Visiting Professor of Sculpture, University of lowa, lowa
City |
| 1970 |
Visiting Professor of Sculpture, University of Wisconsin,
Green Bay |
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Member of the Advisory Board of Lawyers for the Creative Arts,
Chicago |
| 1971 |
Visiting Professor of Sculpture, University of Chicago |
| 1974 |
Coordinator and Advisor to the Art Institute of Chicago and
the City of Chicago “Sculpture in the Parks Exhibition” |
| 1976 |
Advisor to the Art Council of Greater New Orleans “Super
Sculpture New Orleans” Exhibition |
| 1978-80 |
President/Chairman of the Board, ConStruct Corporation |
| 1979-80 |
Visiting Professor of Sculpture, School of the Art Institute
of Chicago
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| 1991-96 |
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, Board of
Trustees
|
| 1993, 1995, 1997-99 |
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, Chairman
Programs Committee |
| 1996-99 |
Chairman, Board Development Committee; International Sculpture
Center |
| 1998-2000 |
Vice Chair, Board of Trustees; International Sculpture Center |
| 2000-02 |
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, International Sculpture
Center |
| 2000-05 |
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, Board of
Trustees Executive Commitee at Large |
| 2001-05 |
Distinguished Professor of Art, Chattanooga State College,
Chattanooga, TN |
| 2002-03 |
National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, Co-Chair
Board of Trustees |
| 2003-05 |
Founding Curator, Outdoor Museum of Art, Chattanooga, TN |
| 2004-05 |
Member of the Board of Trustees, International Sculpture Center |
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