Artist 37: John Ernest

John Ernest was born in Philadelphia in 1922.  From 1946 to 1951 he lived and worked in both Sweden and Paris, in 1951 he moved to London and studied at St, Martin’s School of Art, this is when he became influenced by constructivism.  Along with other artists in the 1950s Ernest became a key member of the British constructivist art movement.  He created both reliefs and freestanding constructions, including a tower and a large wall relief.  Because Ernest had a lifelong fascination with mathematics it was clearly shown in his artwork.  His work along with that of a fellow artist, made large contributions to graph theory in art.