Robert Longo

Born in 1953 in Brooklyn, New York, Robert Longo’s mastery of large-scale, hyperrealistic charcoal drawings has made him one of America’s most admired artists. With every work, he reinvests the tradition of history painting with fresh relevance and impact, rendering majestic images in a sensuous and sculptural photorealism.

Longo studied at the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he was deeply influenced by the contemporary art scene and formed lasting friendships with other artists including Cindy Sherman, who became his girlfriend during the 1970s. Their relationship was both personal and professional, as they collaborated and influenced each other’s work during their early careers. Both artists are part of the Pictures Generation, a group of artists in the 1970s and 1980s questioning our conception of reality and originality by appropriating mass media imagery.

Since the 1970s, multimedia artist Robert Longo has attracted attention for his manifold work ranging from music, film and video to installation, drawing and sculpture. Like an Old Master draftsman, Longo achieves an extremely emotional range through his use of chiaroscuro, harnessing light and dark as primary material. His photorealist drawings are based on images borrowed from the world of media containing a political and social statement, making Longo one of today’s most important history painters. His drawings come across like paintings due to their monumental scale.

Longo is perhaps best known for his Men in the Cities series, which catapulted him to fame in the 1980s. This series features large-scale charcoal drawings of sharply dressed men and women in contorted poses, appearing as if they are being struck by an unseen force. These dramatic, dynamic images have become iconic representations of urban tension and existential angst. Based on his concept for the Men in the Cities series, Longo collaborated with luxury brand Bottega Veneta in 2010 to create a series of advertisements that merged his artistic style with the commercialisation of fashion.

In the 1990s, he directed the cyberpunk film Johnny Mnemonic, starring actor Keanu Reeves, based on a short story by William Gibson, showcasing his ability to translate his artistic vision into a different medium. He has also been involved in the music scene, performing in bands and incorporating musical elements into his art installations.

Longo’s work has attracted international attention on the auction stage. In 2013 Christie’s set a world auction record for the artist with his 2013 charcoal drawing, Untitled (Leo), selling for US$1,575,000.