Manuel Neri was born in 1930 in Sanger, California. Neri is recognized for his life-size figurative sculptures in plaster, bronze, and marble, as well as for his association with the Bay Area Figurative movement during the 1960s. Since 1972, Neri has worked primarily with the same model, Mary Julia Klimenko, creating drawings and sculptures that merge contemporary sculptural concerns with classical forms. The anatomical skill of these works recalls the sculptures and drawings of Rodin, Giacometti and Degas. In Neri's work with the figure, he conveys an emotional inner state that is revealed through body language and gesture. In addition to his sculptural works in various media, Neri is known for his use of vibrant color in drawings and paintings on paper. In recent years, Neri has collaborated with other artists in creating limited-edition and unique artists' books.

Manuel Neri is the recipient of the 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Sculpture Center. Previous awards include the Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts Individual Artist Grant, San Francisco Arts Commission Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sculpture, Honorary Doctorate for Outstanding Achievement in Sculpture from the San Francisco Art Institute, Honorary Doctorate from the California College of Arts and Crafts, and Honorary Doctorate from The Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C.

Manuel Neri’s work is included in numerous public and private collections including: Eli Broad Family Collection, Los Angeles; The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Crosby Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City; Denver Art Museum; Des Moines Art Center; Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; Gap Collection, San Francisco; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; Honolulu Academy of the Arts; Janss Collection, Sun Valley, Idaho; Levi Strauss Associates, Inc., San Francisco; Memphis Brooks Art Museum, Memphis, Tennessee; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Newport Harbor Art Museum, Newport Beach, California; The Oakland Museum, California; Palm Springs Desert Museum, California; Portland Art Museum, Portland, Oregon; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; San Jose Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego; Seattle Art Museum; Virlane Foundation, New Orleans; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, and others.