Born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1926, Jack Yougerman studied art at the University of Missouri and visited Europe between 1947 and 1956. In Paris he frequented the School of Beaux-Arts in 1947 and 1948 and later visited Lebanon and Iraq where he worked on some architectural projects. Youngerman designed theatre decors in Paris and in New York and took part in several exhibitions in the U.S and abroad. Settling in New York in 1956 he exhibited his works at the Museum of Modern Art in 1959 showing abstract moderate geometric constructions.
He followed a path similar to that of Ellsworth Kelly and adopted a more rigid technique when he became one of the pioneers of hard edge. Simplifying forms to their extreme limits and dividing the surface in two zones he based his paintings on contrasting phenomenons creating a border between two forms, a method which later resulted in minimal or opart.
Youngerman notably exhibited his works in Paris in 1951 and regularly in New York from 1957. The Museum of Modern Art of New York and the Albright Museum of Art have acquired some of his paintings and constructions.
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