Irish artist John Burke studied sculpture at the Crawford School of Art, Cork, and the Royal Academy, London. Instrumental in defining sculptural practice in Ireland during the 1970s, he juxtaposed simple geometric shapes to form abstract compositions, and employed colour to soften and disguise unwanted elements of the metal. Burke taught at the Crawford School of Art and counted among his pupils Eilis O’Connell, Vivienne Roche, Maud Cotter and Jim Buckley. He is a member of Aosdána.