Art World Mourns Robert Indiana

Today the art world mourns the death of Robert Indiana. The pop artist died on Saturday at the age of 89. His ubiquitous “LOVE” sculptures, notably seen in Philadelphia, New York, and Indianapolis, are iconic works of art. The four letters stacked in a square with an off-kilter “O” were made famous in 1964 as a Museum of Modern Art Christmas card. Indiana went on to create steel sculptures based on this design, as well as prints. Since then the image has gone on the grace postage stamps, clothing, and every kind of souvenir imaginable. Indiana continued to play with his most recognizable creation throughout his career. He created versions in Spanish and Hebrew, in different colors and materials, and with mirrored repetitions of the word. In 2008, he created similar “VOTE” and “HOPE” versions for the Democratic National Convention and the Obama campaign.