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.
After establishing a cooperative gallery in Buffalo during his college years, he joined a circle of underground artists working in New York City in the early 1980s. He created both drawings and sculptures examining issues of masculinity, power, mass media, and urban lifestyles, and has been critically recognized for works such as his
Men in the Cities series, featuring men and women in business attire shown contorted in odd poses, and his depictions of
American flags painted over in black. Work from the
Men in the Cities series is prominently featured in the apartment of fictional character Patrick Bateman in the film
American Psycho. Longo’s work has been included in the Whitney Biennial in New York, documenta in Kassel, and the Venice Biennale, among many other prestigious exhibitions. He currently lives and works in New York.