Robert Longo – Eric

Robert Longo – Eric, NYC, 1980

Robert Longo’s Eric, NYC, 1980 (from Men in the Cities) is a striking c-print that reflects the artist’s fascination with stylized motion and emotional intensity. Inspired by cinematic death scenes, Longo began exploring these dramatic, contorted poses in the mid-1970s while living in Buffalo, later refining the concept after moving to New York with Cindy Sherman in 1976. In this series, Longo staged his subjects – often friends and peers – by throwing objects at them to provoke spontaneous, exaggerated gestures. These moments were captured in photographs, which then served as the basis for his iconic large-scale drawings. The image of Eric captures that same charged energy, freezing a moment of expressive movement that blurs the line between dance, violence, and abstraction.

Robert Longo, an influential contemporary artist born in 1953 in Brooklyn, New York, is renowned for his photographically based works that often delve into themes of power and authority. Utilizing motifs such as guns, jet fighters, and flags, Longo’s art resonates with a potent commentary on contemporary society. His alignment with the Pictures Generation, a movement known for appropriating images from mass media, adds a layer of cultural critique to his work. Robert Longo‘s ability to transform the intimate practice of drawing into monumental-scale paintings is a hallmark of his narrative prowess. His use of chiaroscuro, skillfully playing on contrasts between light and dark, serves as a primary tool in creating visually striking pieces. This technique, combined with his expertise in sculpture, photography, film, printmaking and drawing, gives his artworks a distinctive, multidimensional quality.

One of Robert Longo‘s most famous works, the Men in the Cities series, created in the 1980s, catapulted him to fame. This series features larger-than-life drawings of business people in fantastical, contorted positions, offering a poignant critique of modern humanity’s condition. It exemplifies Longo’s signature fusion of various artistic mediums and highlights his ability to weave social commentary into visual art. Longo’s work adeptly balances personal expression with social awareness, mirroring and critiquing the world around us. His artworks are not just visually compelling but also serve as reflections on contemporary cultural and political landscapes. Robert Longo has held a series of influential solo exhibitions throughout his career, including showcases at renowned institutions like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.