Garden of Love – Rose

This image has become an icon of modern art and has been reproduced on postage stamps and countless products. Robert Indiana distinguished himself from other pop artists by addressing important social and political issues and incorporating historical and literary references into his works. He explored the illusory American dream, using words and numbers to create connections and perceptions in the viewer’s mind. His works are characterized by symmetrical geometric shapes and bright colours, which recall the influences of advertising and mass media. In addition to painting and sculpture, Robert Indiana made a significant number of prints, also collaborating with the poet Robert Creeley. He worked as a theatrical set and costume designer, contributing to the production of Virgil Thomson’s The Mother of Us All in 1976. Indiana’s works have been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world, and many of them are part of the permanent collections of important museums, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco. Robert Indiana died on May 19, 2018, at his home in Vinalhaven, shortly before the opening of his sculpture retrospective at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. His legacy as one of the protagonists of American Pop Art and his ability to create works that explore American identity and the power of language continues to have a lasting impact on contemporary art.