Jack Pierson  (American, 1960) 

Jack Pierson (American, b.1960) is a photographer, sculptor, and draftsman. Considered to be exceptionally prolific and comfortable working with a variety of media, Pierson is best known for his photography, Abstract sculptures, and collages. He is openly gay, and many of his photographs are images of men shot in a casual, erotic fashion. Pierson was born in Plymouth, MA. He received a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, MA, in 1984.

Pierson is considered to be part of the Boston School, which is a term used to refer to a group of photographers who worked in Boston in the early 1980s. Mark Morrisoroe (American, 1959–1989), David Armstrong (American, b.1954), Nan Goldin (American, b.1953), and Philip-Lorca diCorcia (American, b.1951) were all part of the Boston School and created a style of photography that centered on them photographing their mutual friends in intimate or casual settings. In 1990, Pierson created Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Part II, a collection of soap bars that referenced not only the titular brick road but also musicals, fantasy, and the glamor of Hollywood. In 1993, he created the photographs Chris and Neal and his Tunafish Salad.

Pierson published a series of 15 portraits under the title of Self Portrait in 2003. The book features photographs of men arranged from oldest to youngest, but photographs of Pierson are not included in the work. In 2004, his Self-Portrait series was part of the Whitney Biennial. Other examples of his work were shown in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, NY, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 2011, Pierson and Elliotte Puckette (American, b.1967) were united in a two-person show of collages at the Danzinger Gallery. Pierson is also known for photographing noted celebrities and models, such as Snoop Dogg, Brad Pitt, Naomi Campbell, and Michael Bergin. He lives and works in Southern California and New York, and is currently represented by Cheim & Read.