Robert Longo Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
American, b. 1953
The drawings by artist Robert Longo are a sensory experience: They are monumental, detailed and hard-hitting in their subject matter, which often includes critiques of power, social unrest and consumer capitalism.
Longo has spent his career exploring mediums as varied as the Photorealistic charcoal drawings for which he is best known and film direction. In all of his work, however, he draws inspiration from his deep background in sculpture. “I always think that drawing is a sculptural process. I always feel like I’m carving the image out rather than painting the image. I’m carving it out with erasers and tools like that,” he once said.
The Long Island, New York, native attended high school with a man who was shot at Kent State University while protesting the U.S. invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War in 1970, and the famous image of this man lying dead on the ground influenced Longo so deeply that he began to consider all art political. Longo attended Buffalo State College, where he met and became friends with artist Cindy Sherman, and later the two moved to New York City together.
Longo’s revered work includes his charcoal and graphite “Men in the Cities” drawings. The Photorealist series, which debuted at Metro Pictures gallery in Manhattan in 1981, depicted people in formal business clothing. Posing in suspended animation in unusual contortions, the figures take on a choreographic quality and represent the career-minded “yuppies” of the era.
“Men in the Cities” was inspired by punk rock music and decades later has been cited as a visual reference for the opening sequence of the popular television drama Mad Men. The work was among the most recognizable and iconic of the Pictures Generation — the movement by artists who came of age in the 1970s and were disillusioned by the social and political conditions of the time. In 2014, Longo created 12 charcoal drawings for a series titled “Gang of Cosmos,” which were black-and-white depictions of famous Abstract Expressionist works by artists like Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Lee Krasner.
Through his provocative, detailed and highly precise prints, drawings, photography and sculpture, Longo continues to challenge traditional sources of power and authority.
Find original Robert Longo art on 1stDibs.
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Artist: Robert Longo
Pressure
By Robert Longo
Located in New York, NY
Robert Longo
Pressure, 1983
Acrylic and Graphite on Paper
Signed and dated 'Robert Longo 83’ (lower right) in graphite
Frame included:
Floated and framed in a museum quality frame with UV plexiglass
This is a unique painting
"Pressure " [on God], Robert Longo's unique acrylic and graphite work on paper, was created during the same period as his iconic work, simply labeled "Pressure", now in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in N.Y. Whereas the latter depicts a young man, the present work, titled "Pressure on Heaven", then deliberately changed to "Pressure on God", is more ethereal in subject matter, though the lone youth's image is still present in the composition.
From Lexander magazine:
"In the excerpt from Neal Benezra’s article about 1980s art in the previous post, he writes, “Robert Longo’s Pressure might well be the most representative work of art of the 1980s.” I would go further and state that it is the definitive work of the 1980s—the penultimate visual anthem of the era—and most especially the period between 1979—1987, during which the musical genres of gothic rock and deathrock flourished and achieved their greatest artistic successes through the work of a variety of diverse bands including Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees...
Category
1980s Contemporary Robert Longo Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Graphite, Mixed Media, Acrylic
STUDY OF FERGUSON RIOT COPS
By Robert Longo
Located in Aventura, FL
Hand signed, titled and dated by the artist. Original ink and charcoal on vellum paper. Framed size approx 30.75 x 34 inches.
Artwork is in excellent condition. Acquired by our g...
Category
2010s Pop Art Robert Longo Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Paper, Ink
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2015, 2016 Renata Fine Arts, Hudson, New York
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Sculptor, painter, and draftsman Robert Longo (American, b.1953) is well known for his bold drawings and sculptural works fusing pop culture and Fine Art. Longo was born in Brooklyn, New York, and his love of pop culture, cartoons, and print media as a child later significantly influenced his art. Longo attended the University of North Texas in Denton before deciding to study sculpture back in New York; he later received a BFA from SUNY Buffalo.
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Robert Longo drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Robert Longo drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Robert Longo in acrylic paint, graphite, ink and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Robert Longo drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 21 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Billy Al Bengston, Thomas Hammer, and Ronnie Cutrone. Robert Longo drawings and watercolor paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $540 and tops out at $225,000, while the average work can sell for $100,000.
Artists Similar to Robert Longo
Questions About Robert Longo Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Robert Longo uses cold roll paper. The artist himself explained in an interview that the paper he prefers is not handmade, instead it is machine-made, archival paper. Longo is best known for his paintings that capture realistic moments and express the inner strength of his subjects. Shop a selection of Longo pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022With roots in sculpture, contemporary artist Robert Longo is best known for his charcoal and graphite drawings, which showcased men and women in mid-movement. You can shop a selection of Robert Longo pieces from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.
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