Tribute to Robert Indiana

Berthille Lorillou

Publié le 20 May 2025

7 years after his death, Museum TV revisits the work of Robert Indiana, internationally renowned for his sculpture “Love”, whose location has become a must-see New York tourist attraction for all lovers.

Robert Indiana sitting in his studio Vinalhaven Maine

Robert Clark, known as Robert Indiana, was born on September 13, 1928, in New Castle, Indiana. This artist, considered a leader of the Pop Art movement, is also associated with the Hard Edge painting movement. He used a variety of techniques and materials to best convey his message. In 1942, he enrolled at Arsenal Technical High School before spending three years in the U.S. Army. He then continued his artistic training at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Skowhegan School of Sculpture and Painting, and the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland.

^{Robert Indiana in his studio, Vinalhaven, Maine. Photograph : Dennis and Diana Griggs}

An overview of the Pop Art and Hard-Edge Painting movements

POP ART

The Shot Marilyns red, turquoi, blue and orange by andy warhol — Andy Warhol, The Shot Marilyns, red, turquoise, orange, sage blue, 1964, silkscreen ink on synthetic polymer paint on four panels, 200 x 200 cm, private collections

This movement first developed in Great Britain between 1947 and 1969, before taking hold in the United States in the 1960s. It is characterized by using everyday images, mass culture, and consumer society. This style is marked by using bright colors, particularly primary colors. Andy Warhol (1928-1987) is also a key figure in Pop Art.

HARD-EDGE

Dunes jaunes du désert par Helen Lundeberg — Helen Lundeberg, *Desert Hills*, 1967, acrylic on canvas, 101.6 x 101.6 cm

The term “Hard-Edge painting” was coined in 1959 by critic Jules Langsner. It illustrates the impersonal approach to paint application in the abstraction of American West Coast painters. Hard-edge painting is characterized by its sharp contours and monochrome fields of color.

Building an Artistic Identity

His move to New York in 1956, and more specifically his encounter with Ellsworth Kelly. Under her influence, Indiana moved to Coenties Slip where he joined the local artist community, including Ellsworth Kelly, Agnes Martin, James Rosenquist, and Jack Youngerman. This milieu greatly influenced Robert Indiana's art. Inspired by his surroundings in Coenties Slip, such as Jeannette Park with its ginkgo trees, Indiana created a gigantic mural made from 44 sheets of paper called Stavrosis. This name is a Greek term meaning "crucifixion". Christian themes were not foreign to the artist, and he revisited them quite frequently. He also produced Stavrosis in 1958, when he was working for the Reverend James A. Pike at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, where he was responsible for rereading The History of the Cross by Norman Laliberté and Edward N. West.

Formes grises sur fond blanc par Robert Indiana — Robert Indiana, Stavrosis, 1958, ink on paper mounted on wood, 252.1 cm x 582.3 cm, Maine, Vinalhaven, Star of Hope Foundation

After completing this work, Robert Clark changed his name to Robert Indiana. He explains: “It came at a psychological moment when, after struggling during my studies for my own artistic identity, not my primary identity, things were beginning to take shape. I felt something was going to happen soon, and I didn't want something good to happen with the weight of a name I didn't like.”

Key Work : Love

Robert Indiana's artistic creation, including his iconic work, LOVE.

First produced as a print for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)'s 1964 commission to create a Christmas card for its holiday card almanac.

Love en 3d blue and red by Robert Indiana — Robert Indiana, LOVE, mixed media, 7 x 15 x 15 cm, 500 copies

LOve blue green and orange by Robert Indiana — Robert Indiana, LOVE, mixed media, 7 x 15 x 15 cm, 500 copies

What is striking about this series is the execution of the typography, the stacking arrangement of the letters "L" and "O" on top of "V" and "E," as well as the rightward tilt of the letter "O," which gives the composition its dynamism. The vivid color scheme is part of the "Swinging Sixties" period. The universal and emotional meaning of the word "love" lends a cultural dimension due to the social changes of the time, the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the Civil Rights Movement, etc. A timeless and universal dimension must be considered. This is evident in the international versions produced in Hebrew,Spanish, and Chinese, for example. The original editions are authenticated by the artist's signature and numbering. The prints sold at auction sometimes reach particularly high prices, sometimes exceeding $50,000. The United States Postal Service even issued an 8-cent stamp in 1973 bearing this design.

Inspired by commercial art, the visual language of American culture, and even road signs, Robert Indiana became a true icon, sometimes a victim of his own success. The artist had to take legal action to protect his intellectual property rights, as unauthorized copies were widely distributed. It's worth questioning the balance between his private life, his adoption at a young age, and his creations.

The artist passed away seven years ago, on May 19, 2018.

7 years after his death, Museum TV pays tribute to him and invites you to learn more about the different currents of Contemporary Art on our video-on-demand platform my.museumtv.art as well as by watching Museum TV.