John Early

John Early is a Senior Lecturer at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts and Faculty Affiliate at Washington University’s Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity (CRE2). He holds additional roles as Undergraduate Academic Advising Coordinator and Faculty Director of the college’s summer pre-college program. His work bridges socially engaged art, installation, and drawing, focusing on spatial equity in St. Louis’ public parks and systemic issues of race, class, and gender in urban landscapes.

Early’s interdisciplinary project 'Whereas Hoops' advocates for basketball courts in Forest Park, leading to their historic installation in 2024. This project produced an artist’s book now held by major institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has received grants from the Regional Arts Commission and CRE2 to advance community-based art and urban equity initiatives.

Research interests include the intersection of public space, racial justice, and participatory art. His exhibitions and installations, such as 'A More Perfect Union' and 'Terra Firma,' address themes of national identity, environmental transformation, and historical erasure. Early’s academic writing explores the material dimensions of segregation and activism in urban contexts.

• Key Awards: Regional Arts Commission Grant (2023), CRE2 Grants (2021)
• Advising: Coordinates undergraduate programs in Studio Art and Foundations
• Labs/Teams: Leads Whereas Hoops collaboration with sports scholar Noah Cohan