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.
Robert Longo, Janet (from Men in the Cities) - Signed Photograph
By Robert Longo
Located in Hamburg, DE
Robert Longo (American, born 1953) Janet (from Men in the Cities), 1981/2016 Medium: Archival pigment print in colours, on Canson Platine fiber paper Dimensions: 47.7 x 35.5 cm Editi...
Archival Pigment
Robert Longo, Eric, NYC: Signed C-Print and Artist's Book
By Robert Longo
Located in Hamburg, DE
Robert Longo (b.1953) Eric, NYC, 1980, 2009 Medium: C-print on photo paper (incl. artist’s book) Dimensions: 25.5 x 18.5 cm (10 × 7 1/4 in) Edition of 100: Hand-signed in black pen
C Print
Untitled (Janet)
By Robert Longo
Located in New York, NY
An iconic and highly collectible image from Robert Longo’s, Men in the Cities series, this color print was taken in 1981 and print again by the artist in 2016. A chromogenic print o...
C Print
Tyler Shields - 2:22 am, Photography 2022, Printed After
By Tyler Shields
Located in Greenwich, CT
Series: Provocateur Chromogenic Print on Kodak Endura Luster Paper All available sizes and editions: 24" x 30" 32" x 40" 48" x 60" 57" x 72" 67" x 84" Editions of 3 + 2 Artist Proofs...
Luster, Paper, Archival Paper, C Print, Digital, Inkjet, Archival Pigmen...
$4,400
H 30 in W 40 in D 0.01 in
Jake Chessum 'Amy Winehouse Camden Town Launderett' Signed Limited Edition Print
By Jake Chessum
Located in London, GB
Kate Moss Amy Winehouse Camden Town Launderette III by Jake Chessum ‘In a now closed launderette on Camden Parkway. This was at the end of the day as it was getting dark. We didn’t ...
C Print, Color
$800
H 20 in W 16 in
The Critic Archival Pigment Print, Signed Edition of 10, Contemporary
By Andrew Pinkham
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This archival illustrative photography pigment print on cotton rag by Andrew Pinkham measures 20in x 16in and is signed and numbered. This piece is part of a small edition of 10. "...
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
$5,000
H 24 in W 30 in
Tyler Shields - Kodachrome Dream, Photography 2022, Printed After
By Tyler Shields
Located in Greenwich, CT
Series: Historical Fiction Chromogenic Print on Kodak Endura Luster Paper All available sizes and editions: 24" x 30" 32" x 40" 48" x 60" 57" x 72" 67" x 84" Editions of 3 + 2 Artist...
Luster, Paper, Archival Paper, C Print, Digital, Inkjet, Archival Pigmen...
$800
H 20 in W 16 in
Scrutiny Archival Pigment Print, Contemporary Portrait, Signed
By Andrew Pinkham
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This archival illustrative photography pigment print on cotton rag by Andrew Pinkham measures 20in x 16in and is signed and numbered. This piece is part of a small edition of 10. "...
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
$206
H 15.75 in W 20.48 in D 1.38 in
Bandstand III, Eastbourne, UK - Black and White Vintage Photography
By Samuel Field
Located in Cambridge, GB
'Bandstand', captured on a visit to his grandparents at the British seaside in Eastbourne, this collection by Samuel Field is a beautiful reminder of days gone by. This artwork is a...
Photographic Paper, Black and White, C Print, Silver Gelatin
$688
H 25.6 in W 37.41 in D 0.04 in
Bandstand II, Eastbourne - Black and White Vintage Portrait Photography
By Samuel Field
Located in Cambridge, GB
Captured on a visit to Samuel Field's grandparents in Eastbourne, this collection is a beautiful reminder of days gone by. This artwork is a limited edition of 25, gloss photographi...
Photographic Paper, Black and White, C Print, Silver Gelatin
$900
H 35 in W 25.6 in D 0.01 in
Pointe - underwater photograph - archival pigment print 35x25"
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This elegant underwater photograph captures a ballet dancer in pointe shoes and flowing white tutu, suspended in deep teal waters. The rich contrast between the pristine white costum...
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
$1,100
H 20 in W 16 in
Cheri Nevers Hosting a "Self-Esteem Salon" on Top of the Empire State Building
By Chris Verene
Located in New York, NY
Chromogenic print Signed, numbered, and inscribed "Cheri Nevers" in black ink, verso Also titled in black ink, recto 20 x 16 inches, sheet This artwork is offered by ClampArt, loca...
C Print
$850
H 40 in W 28 in
Yellow Bikini - Figurative Photography Portrait Original Artwork
By Marco Pittori
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Marco Pittori has always worked with photography. He uses either his own or licensed photographs, such as photographs from the renowned Los Angeles photographer Brad Elterman. "Brad’...
Paper, Mixed Media, Screen
$688
H 25.6 in W 37.41 in D 0.04 in
Bandstand I, Eastbourne - Black and White Vintage Portrait Photography
By Samuel Field
Located in Cambridge, GB
Captured on a visit to Samuel Field's grandparents in Eastbourne, this collection is a beautiful reminder of days gone by. This artwork is a limited edition of 25, gloss photographi...
Photographic Paper, Black and White, C Print, Silver Gelatin
Ballons over San Francisco
By David Drebin
Located in New York City, NY
David Drebin Balloons over San Francisco, 2016 30 x 72 inches Edition of 10 40 x 96 inches Edition of 7 C-Print
C Print
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. Certificate of Auth...
Paper, Ink