(Sarasota, FL) The Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art is presenting works of John Henry, a renowned sculptor whose 70-foot-tall work, Starpointer, was featured in last season’s Season of Sculpture exhibit. The exhibit, which also includes paintings by Sarasota’s famed artist, Syd Solomon, runs through May 14, 2011, at Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art, 1288 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. For more information about this exhibit, call 941-366-2454 or visit www.allyngallup.com.

Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Henry is known worldwide for his large-scale public works of art, which grace numerous museums, corporate, public and private collections. His works are prominently exhibited throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.

“John exhibits a definitive trademark style that is both grand in scale and yet deceptively simple; a contradictory approach that has been labeled ‘Zen engineering,’” says Allyn Gallup, director and founder of Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art. “In the 1970’s he was identified as part of the Minimalist movement. But the geometric forms that have defined his work for more than 40 years have their aesthetic and historical base in constructivism. John has a fierce commitment to the materiality of his work. He has an unwavering insistence on maintaining the integrity of the process and the materials in developing his visual vocabulary.”

Gallup explains this exhibit will showcase a dozen or so of Henry’s sculptures of varying sizes, including several maquettes, or models, for large-scales pieces. A monumental-size sculpture of his will be part of the 2011-2012 Season of Sculpture.

The gallery is also offering copies of Henry’s recent monograph, “John Henry,” which offers a significant overview of the artist’s oeuvre. With an introduction by David Levy, text by Stephen Luecking, and photographs by David Finn, "John Henry" provides insight into Henry's career by spanning 45 years and five continents. Proceeds from the sales of the book are being contributed by Henry to the upcoming Season of Sculpture.

Henry attended the University of Kentucky, University of Chicago, and the Art Institute of Chicago, where he received a Ford Foundation grant, the Edward L Ryerson Fellowship and earned a BFA. He received an Honorary Doctor of Arts from the University of Kentucky in 1996. As a visiting professor of sculpture, Henry has taught at the University of lowa, University of Wisconsin, University of Chicago and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is currently Distinguished Professor of Art at Chattanooga State College. In 2002 Henry received the Governor’s National Award in the Arts from the State of Kentucky and in 2004, the Mayor’s Award of Distinction in the Arts from the City of Chattanooga. Other recent honors include recognition on the floor of the Tennessee State Senate in 2004, and in 2005 the honorary renaming of North Cermak Road to “John Henry Way” by the City of Chicago in recognition of his contributions to public art on the local and national levels. For more information about John Henry, visit www.johnhenrysculptor.com.

About Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art
Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art was established in 1991. Since the beginning, its founder, Allyn Gallup, has been committed to providing serious art to the community. Through this commitment, the gallery has earned the reputation as the leading place in southwest Florida to view contemporary art. The gallery’s collection includes paintings, sculptures, mixed-media assemblages, works on paper and prints by mid-career artists with well-established exhibition records. The gallery also occasionally showcases works by promising emerging artists. Visit www.allyngallup.com.