Born in Chicago, Jackson Mac Low became a central figure in the mid-20th-century experimental arts scene. Influenced by the musical innovations of John Cage, Earle Brown, and Christian Wolff, he developed a rigorous approach to creative production that prioritized aleatory techniques over traditional authorial intent.

His practice spanned poetry, performance, and musical composition, often utilizing complex systems to generate text and sound. As a key participant in the Fluxus movement, Mac Low explored the intersection of language and performance, creating works that challenged the boundaries between structured composition and spontaneous occurrence.

Mac Low's legacy continues to be examined through institutional archival projects, such as the Getty Research Institute's recent digital initiatives. His contributions to the neo-avant-garde remain a subject of study for their influence on experimental literature and performance art.