American painter and sculptor, born in St Louis. A self-taught artist, after a period influenced by the work of *Pollock and *Dubuffet, he discovered the ‘falling man’ theme which preoccupied him throughout his career. This is a kind of mannequin which is repeated in sequence in paintings such as Falling Man 80 (1963, Tate) and arose from an interest in the idea of being trapped in a technological world. It was also inspired by the artist's fascination with comic character toys. This image reappears in sculpture in chrome and bronze. He gave 40 of his sculptures to the city of St Louis, which opened a sculpture park to display them. There is a bronze plaque dedicated to him in the St Louis Walk of Fame.