HIRSHHORN MUSEUM ROBERT INDIANA POSTER

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington DC commissioned renowned artist Robert Indiana to create a poster commemorating its opening and inaugural installation in 1974. 

Widely regarded as a prominent figure in the Pop Art movement, Indiana thought of himself as an American painter of signs, as his bold, graphic style was inspired by billboards and other commercial signs.  He frequently incorporated short words from signs into his paintings, prints and sculptures, and this poster is a wonderful example of his style. 

The blue star centered in a field of red and white stripes hints at a patriotic theme, as befitting a museum in Washington DC, but the yellow accents give the design a broader appeal and artistic interest and are a wonderful contrast to the poster’s dark background.  The words and symbols used by Indiana are reminiscent of those highway billboards from which he drew inspiration. 

Indiana is best known for his “LOVE” series of prints and sculptures, first produced in the 1960s. His two-row graphic of the word, with its tilted "O," is one of the most recognizable works of modern art in the world. The original LOVE sculpture is located at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, but his work is represented in the collections of numerous major museums and institutions, and versions of his outdoor LOVE  sculptures are seen in cities worldwide.

Robert Indiana (1928-2018), born Robert Clark, grew up in Indiana in a family that moved around frequently from town to town in that state.  He took “Indiana” as his last name in recognition of his home state.

Check out the other works we offer by Robert Indiana.

Condition: A-