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Key Takeaways

Robert Longo is an acclaimed American artist known for his innovative "Men in the Cities" series and multimedia approach to art.
Longo's artistic journey began in the thriving avant-garde arts scene of Buffalo, New York, in the 1970s.
He has explored themes of power, media, and contemporary society through his diverse range of artistic mediums, including charcoal drawings, sculptures, and installations.
Longo's work has been recognized for its ability to challenge traditional art forms and push the boundaries of visual expression.
As a pioneering figure in the American art world, Longo's contributions have cemented his status as a cultural icon.

Robert Longo, born on January 7, 1953, is an American artist, filmmaker, photographer, and musician, known for his 1980s series Men in the Cities, which portrays men and women in formal clothing, contorted in intense emotional expressions. Raised on Long Island, Longo was influenced by mass media. After studying sculpture and receiving a scholarship to the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, he earned a BFA from Buffalo State College in 1975, where he helped establish the Essex Art Center (now Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center). Moving to New York, he became part of the 1970s No Wave art scene.

Early Life and Artistic Development

Robert Longo, born on January 7, 1953, is an American visual artist, filmmaker, photographer, and musician.

He rose to fame in the 1980s with his Men in the Cities series, which showcases men and women in formal attire, depicted in intense, contorted emotional poses. He currently resides in both New York and East Hampton.

Longo was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up on Long Island, where he developed a deep interest in mass media — including movies, television, magazines, and comics — that continues to shape his artistic vision.

He initially attended the University of North Texas in Denton but left before completing his degree. Later, he studied sculpture with Leonda Finke, who motivated him to pursue a career in the visual arts. In 1972, he received a scholarship to study at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, Italy. Returning to New York, Longo enrolled at Buffalo State College and earned a BFA in 1975, studying under art professor Joseph Piccillo. During this time, he was in a relationship with fellow artist Cindy Sherman, who was also a student there.

While in college, Longo and his friends started a contemporary art gallery called the Essex Art Center in their co-op building, which later became Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. Through his involvement with the gallery, he connected with many artists from both the local area and New York City. He eventually moved to New York City, where he became part of the late-1970s No Wave art scene and built connections with artists and critics associated with Effects: Magazine for New Art Theory.

Robert Longo's Work and Artistic Approach

Drawing
Although trained in sculpture, Robert Longo found his primary artistic expression in drawing. His sculptural background shapes his drawing style, as seen in his bold, chiseled lines that create a sense of three-dimensionality. Longo manipulates graphite as if it were clay, molding it to create dynamic, moving figures, exemplified by his iconic Men in the Cities series. For this project, he photographed friends in dramatic poses, appearing to fall, twist, or sprawl on invisible surfaces. He then projected these images, enlarging them, and, with assistance, recreated them in life-size or larger formats. Each figure was drawn in a standardized, formal black-and-white attire. The inspiration for this work came in 1975 from a still image in Fassbinder's film The American Soldier, with art critic William Wilson later comparing it to the final scene of Bergman’s The Seventh Seal. Between 1979 and 1982, Longo created approximately 60 drawings for the series, one of which became the cover for Glenn Branca's album The Ascension. Longo quickly became one of the most recognized and collected artists of the 1980s, alongside peers like Cindy Sherman and David Salle, though some critics felt his artistic direction had weakened by the mid-1980s.

Exploring themes of authority and violence, Longo continued with series such as the somber Black Flags (1989–91), large-scale handguns (Bodyhammers, 1993–95), and his Magellan project, an extensive visual diary of 366 daily drawings completed from 1995 to 1996. He later revisited historical and cultural themes with his Freud Drawings (2002), interpreting images of Freud’s apartment prior to his flight from the Nazis, and Monsters (2002-2004), massive, baroque wave renderings, presented in the 2004 Whitney Biennial.

To create works like Barbara and Ralph, Longo projects photographs of his subjects onto paper, outlining figures in graphite and then, with the help of illustrator Diane Shea, fills in intricate details. Longo reworks the piece with graphite and charcoal until he achieves a polished, finished result.

In 2013, Pressure, a diptych from 1982–83, was reviewed by The Lexander Magazine and described as capturing the spirit of the 1980s, echoing Neal Benezra’s view of it as emblematic of the era. Longo’s later Engines of State series (2012–2019) was added to the National Gallery of Art’s collection in 2023, donated by Clifford Ross.

Music Videos
In the 1980s, Longo also directed music videos for bands such as New Order, Megadeth, and R.E.M., and designed album covers, including those for Glenn Branca's The Ascension (1981) and The Replacements' Tim (1985).

Robert Longo's Work in Film, Music, Photography, and Exhibitions

Film and Television
In 1992, Robert Longo directed an episode of Tales from the Crypt titled "This'll Kill Ya." He also directed the cyberpunk film Johnny Mnemonic, starring Keanu Reeves, Dolph Lundgren, and Takeshi Kitano, as well as a short film called Arena Brains. Reflecting on his experience in film, Longo remarked that making a movie is far more challenging than creating a painting. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he also ventured into performance art, developing theater pieces such as Marble Fog and Killing Angels in collaboration with musicians like Stuart Argabright, guitarist Chuck Hammer, and Douglas Sloan.

Music
Longo led an experimental no-wave band called Robert Longo's Menthol Wars, performing in New York rock clubs in the late 1970s. The band included notable members such as Richard Prince and David Linton. Menthol Wars was also featured in a series of three staple-bound books by Richard Prince, published in 1980 by Printed Matter, Inc. Around the same time, Longo played with Rhys Chatham in Guitar Trio and created a series of projected slides titled Pictures for Music to accompany live music.

Photography
In 2010, Longo was commissioned by the Italian luxury brand Bottega Veneta to photograph models Terron Wood and Alla K for their fall/winter campaign, evoking his earlier Men in the Cities series through dynamic, silhouetted poses.

Exhibitions
Longo has held retrospectives in prestigious venues, including Hamburger Kunstverein, Deichtorhallen, the Menil Collection in Houston, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1989), Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago (1990), and Musée d'art moderne et d'art contemporain in Nice, France (2009). His group exhibitions include Documenta VIII, the Whitney Biennial, and the Venice Biennale. In 2017, his charcoal drawings appeared in the Proof exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, alongside works by Goya and Eisenstein.

Influence
Longo’s Men in the Cities series notably appeared in Patrick Bateman’s apartment in the film American Psycho (2000). His career and artwork were also profiled in Man of the World magazine in 2013.

Art Market
Longo is represented by Pace Gallery (since 2021) and Thaddaeus Ropac.

Personal Life
Longo lived with artist Cindy Sherman from 1974 to 1980 and with artist Gretchen Bender from 1981 to 1989. In 1994, he married German actress Barbara Sukowa, with whom he has three sons. Longo resided in Europe during the 1990s, living in Paris and working in Spain and Germany, but now divides his time between New York and East Hampton.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Longo organized a benefit event for the Guild Hall of East Hampton, postponing his own exhibition to raise $1 million for the institution.

Literature
An interview with Longo titled Robert Longo. Das Poetische für mich ist eine höhere Form der Gerechtigkeit was published in 2021 by Heinz-Norbert Jocks in Kunstforum International.

FAQ

Who is Robert Longo?

Robert Longo is a well-known American artist. He is famous for his "Men in the Cities" series from the 1980s. His work includes large charcoal drawings, multimedia installations, and explores themes of power and media.

Where did Robert Longo's artistic journey begin?

Longo started his journey in Buffalo, New York. He studied at the State University College in the early 1970s. He co-founded Hallwalls, an alternative art space, with Cindy Sherman and others.

What is the "Men in the Cities" series?

The "Men in the Cities" series is Longo's breakthrough work. It features large charcoal drawings of people in dark suits, showing both ecstasy and death. This series is widely recognized and has been mentioned in popular culture.

How does Robert Longo's artistic practice extend beyond drawing?

Longo works in filmmaking, photography, and music too. His "Combines" series combines different media like relief, photography, and drawing. This allows him to explore multiple meanings in his work.

What influences have shaped Robert Longo's art?

Longo is influenced by Francisco Goya and Sergei Eisenstein. He sees parallels between their storytelling and his own commentary on society.

How does Robert Longo's art address political and social issues?

Longo's art often comments on current events and media culture. His works are powerful statements on today's society and global issues.

What is the "Image Storm" and how does it relate to Longo's recent work?

Longo's recent work, "Untitled (Image Storm)," deals with the digital age's image overload. It shows a fast sequence of news images, making viewers think about our visual culture.

How does Robert Longo's artistic process combine traditional and modern techniques?

Longo starts with photographs or digital images, then enhances them. He turns these into large drawings or multimedia works. His method blends old techniques with new tech, creating striking and deep artworks.

Source Links

Selena Mattei | ArtMajeur Magazine

Artist portraits Robert Longo American artist filmmaker photographer musician Men in the Cities

Robert Longo: Pioneering Artist & Cultural Icon