AMERICAN, b. 1953

Early Life and Education

American artist Robert Longo was born on January 7, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in the Long Island. As a child, he was fascinated with mass media: films, magazines, television, and comic books. These have always been a source of inspiration for his art.

In 1970, he graduated from high school. It was the same year when the Kent State University Massacre in Ohio occurred. This led to student protests and political uprisings against US invasion of Cambodia, throughout the country in which Robert Longo was also involved. A press photo of a dead student which gained popularity during this time and later won Pulitzer Prize was of Longo’s ex-classmates. With time, Robert Longo’s relationship with media images became even stronger.

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He began college at the University of Texas but left before graduation. He then studied sculpture under Leonda Finke’, who motivated Longo to pursue a career in the visual arts. In 1972, he received a grant to study the restoration and history of art at Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, Italy. While in Europe, he had the opportunity to study both old and modern masters to understand his relationship to the history of art.

On his return from Italy, he enrolled in the Buffalo State College to study arts. During this period he was influenced by his professor Joseph Piccillo. He was also associated with fellow artist Cindy Sherman who was pursuing an arts degree at the same college. While at college, he along with his friends including Charles Clough set up an Avant garde art gallery in the Essex Art Center in 1974. The gallery later went on to become Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. Robert Longo also worked under the experimental filmmakers Paul Sharits and Hollis Frampton, through them he was introduced to structural filmmaking and Sergei Eisenstein’s films.   Robert Longo graduated from Buffalo State University in 1975.

Career and Artwork

In 1977, Robert Longo along with Cindy Sherman moved to New York to join the underground art scene of the 1970’s. He started to work as a studio assistant to Vito Acconci and Dennis Oppenheim. Although Longo studied structure, drawing always remained his favorite form of art.  The same year, he participated in a five-person show called Pictures. The show was curated by Douglas Crimp at Artist’s Space in New York. This was a first of its kind exhibition which encouraged young artists turning towards image-making rather than conceptualism and minimalism. Their art was inspired by newspapers, advertisements, film, and television.

Even though Longo’s main form of self-expression is drawing, sculpture influences his drawing technique. His portraits have a certain chiseled line which seems to give the drawing a three-dimensional look. Longo went on to be known as a leading protagonist of the ‘Pictures Generation’. He has worked on drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, performance, and film to make provocative critiques of the anesthetizing and seductive effects of capitalism, mediatized wars, and the cult of history in the US. The first commercial gallery Metro Pictures which was established in 1980 represented Longo’s work. He gained critical acclaim in 1981 through his first solo show at the Metro, of the famous ‘Men in the Cities’ series. These portrayed men and women dressed in black-and-white, formal business attire, squirming in contorted emotion. In 1984, the gallery showcased his work, which was part sculpture, part relief, part painting. The concepts used in these were of Sergei Eisenstein’s theory of montage to juxtapose conflicting imagery and those based on work of reason, intuition, fantasy, and power. These concepts continue to be a vital form of practice for Robert Longo.

During these years, he was also actively involved in underground culture, originating performances, playing in and working with rock bands. He also contributed to alternative magazines, programming non-profit places like the Kitchen in New York and designing stage sets. He also pursued his love for moving image and in 1986, went on to produce his first commercial music videos. In 1987, he directed his debut film.

In 1990, he moved to Paris, where he lived and worked till his return to the U.S in 1994. He then directed a Hollywood film Johnny Mnemonic. In 1996, he produced a series of 366 small drawings. These depicted media images over a period of a leap year.

From 1998 to 2008, he produced a cycle of work, using mainly charcoal, called The Essentials. In 2002, his work ‘Freud Drawings’ represented images of Sigmund Freud’s flat, moments before his flight from the Nazis. Some of his other notable work during this time includes ‘monsters’ and ‘The Sickness of Reason’. In 2014, his series entitled The Destroyer cycle considered world events related to rising racial tension in the US and ISIS declaring itself as a caliphate.

Along with these cycles, Robert Longo has continued to represent the history of art through his work. Since 2015, he has worked on a series known as Hungry Ghosts, which depict X-ray drawings on famous paintings belonging to art museums from around the world.

Robert Longo lives and works in New York, along with his wife Barbara Sukowa, who is an actress from Germany.

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Men in Cities Series

“I’ve been dealing with epic images, and I realized all of a sudden that I grew up in the age of epics.” – RL

The Men in Cities series demonstrates Longo’s fascination with movement and the human form, blending cinematic and photographic elements with real-life observations of people in New York City.

His interest was particularly sparked by seeing people’s exaggerated movements when hit by snowballs, which helped inspire the dramatic poses in the series​.

The “Men in the Cities” series was also inspired by the vision of a man being shot in the back, which happened four years before Longo created the monumental series.

However, the figures in “Men in the Cities” are not randomly generated but carefully choreographed. Longo photographed his friends jumping, dancing, or falling to capture the dynamic poses.

The artworks are life-sized or larger, enhancing their visual impact and confronting the viewer with dramatic expressions of bodily and emotional extremes. This scale is crucial in conveying the psychological intensity Longo aimed to capture.

The series reflects on the alienation and isolation experienced in corporate urban life, suggesting a metaphorical impact of societal forces on individuals. These themes resonate with Longo’s critique of contemporary society’s pressures and the commodification of human experiences.

Waves Series

“I always imagine that I want to make art that is going to kill you, whether it’s going to do it visually or physically, I’ll take either way.” – RL

Robert Longo’s “Waves” series is a powerful showcase of his ability to capture the dynamic and overwhelming nature of natural forces.

Unlike his famous “Men in the Cities” series, which primarily features human figures in dramatic postures, the “Waves” series focuses on the raw and majestic power of ocean waves. Here are some key aspects of this series:

The works in the “Waves” series are notable for their dramatic portrayal of the sea’s power. Longo’s technique involves highly detailed, almost photographic renderings of waves at their peak moments of crash and spray.

Longo uses charcoal and graphite on mounted paper to create these large-scale drawings. His use of monochrome adds a timeless, almost monumental quality to the images, emphasizing form and light without the distraction of color.

The “Waves” series has been exhibited in various galleries and museums, where it has been praised for its technical mastery and emotive power. Viewers often remark on the immersive experience of the artworks, which not only capture the eye but also provoke deep reflection on human vulnerability in the face of nature’s magnitudes.

Robert Longo Prints

“The translation process becomes a highly subjective thing – turning reds and blues into black-and-whiteness. It’s really bizarre for me.”​ – RL

Robert Longo’s prints are highly regarded for their meticulous detail and profound themes, reflecting his critical view of contemporary culture and politics.

These prints often fetch stable prices in the art market, reflecting both their artistic significance and their appeal to collectors and art investors.

The value of Longo’s prints can vary significantly depending on factors such as the series, condition, and market demand. For instance, individual Longo prints from the “Men in the Cities” series have been known to sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

More generally, prices for Longo’s prints at auction can range from a few thousand dollars to over a hundred thousand dollars. Notably, his work titled “Men Trapped in Ice” was auctioned for around $1.2 million, setting a high mark for his pieces.

Longo’s choice to work primarily in black and white not only defines his visual style but also enhances the emotional impact of his prints, focusing viewer attention on the subject matter without the distraction of color.

His large-scale works are particularly designed to engage viewers, making a strong visual statement that resonates with the magnitude of the themes he explores, such as power, authority, and human emotion​.

His art continues to be featured in various exhibitions and remains a strong presence in the art market, where it is sought by private collectors and institutions​.

Use of Charcoal and Graphite in Drawings

When Longo first moved to New York, he began experimenting with charcoal on backdrop paper he brought home from The Kitchen, a performance space where he worked.

This inexpensive material was a crucial part of his journey into the world of drawing. He believed the medium sat intriguingly between painting and sculpture​.

Along the same lines, he describes his technique of using graphite almost like clay, allowing him to mold and create the writhing, dancing figures seen in his “Men in the Cities” series​.

Robert Longo Movies and Music Videos

Longo directed the cyberpunk film “Johnny Mnemonic”​. It starred Keanu Reeves in 1995 and received mixed reviews.

Robert Longo also directed several notable music videos, blending his artistic sensibilities with the dynamics of popular music.

  1. “Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order (1986) – This music video is one of the most recognized from the 1980s and features dynamic, cutting-edge visual effects that were innovative at the time.
  2. “Peace Sells” by Megadeth (1986) – A music video for this iconic heavy metal song that reflects Longo’s interest in intense, dramatic imagery.
  3. “The One I Love” by R.E.M. (1987) – This video integrates surreal visual storytelling, which complements the emotive quality of the song.

These videos highlight Longo’s ability to convey complex emotional and narrative themes through the visual medium, effectively bridging his artistic vision with mainstream music culture.

Robert Longo Paintings

“I do have great respect for painting, but I am definitely not a painter. I make drawings of paintings, and I’m jealous of painting for sure, but, for me, the paper gives my work a limit.”​ – RL

While Long dabbled in painting, his focus centered around his photorealistic charcoal and graphite drawings.

Political Involvement

Longo has always seen art as inherently political. He views his work as a moral imperative to preserve historical images, hoping to inspire change through this medium.

His later works, such as those dealing with the Iraq War and 9/11, highlight his ongoing commitment to addressing social and political issues through his art.

“I find that all these subjects that I’m dealing with tend to lead me to religion and politics one way or another. It’s not something that I necessarily want to address, but it seems like it’s screaming at me to pay attention to it.”​ – RL

Click on the Robert Long artworks above to inquire about pricing.

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