John Henry (b. 1943) is one of the most important American sculptors working today, known for his monumental abstract sculptures in painted steel and aluminum that have become landmarks in cities around the world. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, he pursued his early artistic training at the University of Kentucky before completing his MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the leading American art institutions of the postwar era. This formative Chicago training placed him at the center of the vibrant Midwestern sculptural community that was reshaping American public sculpture in the 1960s and 1970s.

Henry's mature sculpture is instantly recognizable for its confident use of vividly painted steel beams arranged into soaring geometric configurations. Working within the Constructivist tradition that runs through David Smith, Mark di Suvero, and Alexander Liberman, Henry has developed his own distinctive vocabulary of dynamic diagonal compositions, cantilevered elements, and often brilliantly saturated color, most famously his signature orange. His works characteristically rise from the ground with dramatic upward energy, transforming public plazas and urban landscapes into more expansive and celebratory environments.

Henry's public commissions have been installed in cities across the United States and internationally, including major sculptures in Chicago, New York, Chattanooga, and abroad. Beyond his own studio practice, he has been an important advocate for public sculpture and for the broader sculptural community. He co-founded the International Sculpture Center, the leading professional organization for contemporary sculptors, and established Sculpture Fields at Montague Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a substantial sculpture park dedicated to large-scale contemporary work. His sculptures are held in major museum and corporate collections, and he remains one of the most influential voices in American public sculpture.