Born in 1935 in the small town of London, Ontario, Jack Chambers was a prominent Canadian artist renowned for his cutting-edge experimentation in painting and film.
After attending Western University, Chambers spent eight years studying and working in Europe from 1953 to 1961. It was during this time when he met Pablo Picasso, who suggested that he should go to Barcelona in Spain to study. However, Chambers went to Madrid, where he attended the Escuela Central de Bellas Arties de San Fernando from 1954 to 1959. He was interested in the fundamentals of Surrealism and the existentialist philosophy of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, which resulted in his combining elements from both schools of thought to create what he called perceptual realism, which fused spirituality and sensory experience.
In 1961, he received news that his mother was ill, and when he returned to London, he found an active art scene had arisen there. By 1963 he and his wife Olga had decided to return to Canada permanently, settling in London, where he became a leader in the art community. Here he explored a more realistic approach to his imagery, and by the late 1960s was producing the work he is best known for, transforming scenes of ordinary life in London and his personal life there through his vision of perceptual realism.
In 1967 Chambers was an integral component in founding the Canadian Artists’ Representation (CARFAC). This newly formed group worked with the National Gallery of Canada regarding reproduction rights and fees for artists. Throughout his extensive career, Chambers has had museum exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Gallery of Canada and the Museum of London. In 2012, Chambers was given a posthumous solo show at the Art Gallery of Ontario.