Robert Longo: The Acceleration of History

Rising to prominence in the 1980s as a leading figure of the Pictures Generation, internationally acclaimed artist Robert Longo has long examined the effects of our image-saturated culture. The artist sources his subject matter from the media to create ambitiously scaled charcoal drawings that reflect on the construction of symbols of power and authority, including images of animals and nature as well as global conflicts and protest movements.

Though based on images from various media sources, Longo’s meticulous drawings are not exact transcriptions. Instead, he combines elements from multiple source images with art historical archetypes and compositional elements in an effort to create what the artist considers “a perfect image.” Through their monumental scale and technical precision, the images he depicts invite viewers to slow down and reflect on the subject matter.

The exhibition presents nearly 40 monumental drawings, sculptures, and videos created by the artist over the past decade, prominently featuring The Destroyer Cycle series that Longo began in 2014. It also includes drawings from his other bodies of work, such as the Hungry Ghosts and Gang of Cosmos series.

The first solo presentation of the artist’s work in the Midwest in more than three decades, Robert Longo: The Acceleration of History was curated by Margaret Andera, senior curator of contemporary art at the Milwaukee Art Museum.