Greg Curnoe was born in London, Ontario, and attended the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. Following the influence of Dada, he, along with other artists, rejected much of established culture and founded the Nihilist Party in 1962. He is the author, with David McFadden, of The Great Canadian Sonnet (Coach House Books, 2001), but is perhaps best known for his paintings, in which he incorporates captions into his images. He was a founder of the Nihilist Spasm Band, the Forest City Gallery, and Region magazine.