Jack Early, born in 1962 in Raleigh, North Carolina, is an American contemporary artist recognized for his exploration of American identity through a Pop art lens. He graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts and began his artistic career in the late 1980s as one half of the duo Pruitt-Early, alongside Rob Pruitt. Their collaborative work challenged traditional distinctions between low culture and high art, gaining significant attention in the New York art scene. In 1990, Pruitt-Early held their first solo exhibition, "Artwork for Teenage Boys," at 303 Gallery in New York.
Returning to the art scene in 2009, Early began creating works that intertwine personal narratives with broader cultural themes, often incorporating his music. His solo exhibitions include "WWJD" at Southfirst in Brooklyn (2012) and a major show at Fergus McCaffrey in New York (2016). Group exhibitions featuring his work include "Pop Life: Art in a Material World" at Tate Modern in London (2009–10) and "Mapping the Studio: Artists from the François Pinault Collection" at Palazzo Grassi in Venice (2009–11). The artist lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.