Artist: (after) Robert Longo (American, 1953-)
Title: "Men in the Cities: Robert Longo (Gretchen)"
Series: Men in the Cities: Robert Longo Posters
*Signed by Longo in black marker lower right
Year: 1991
Medium: Original Offset-Lithograph, Poster on heavy smooth wove paper
Limited edition: Unknown
Printer: Unknown, New York? NY
Publisher: ACT UP, New York, NY and Amnesty International, London, UK
Sheet size: 39.5" x 20"
Condition: A few minor handling creases and some scattered faint surface abrasions. In otherwise excellent condition with clean edges and full margins
Notes:
Provenance: private collection - Tokyo, Japan. Printed in one color: black. Comes from the 1991 "Men in the Cities: Robert Longo" series of six offset-lithograph posters featuring various models including artists Gretchen Bender, Cindy Sherman, Rick Franklin, and dancer Eric Barsness. The image featured on this poster is Longo's 1983 lithograph with embossing edition, "Gretchen".
Gretchen Bender (1951 in Seaford, Delaware - 2004 in New York City) was an American artist who worked in film, video, and photography. She was from the so-called 1980s Pictures Generation of artists, which included Cindy Sherman, Robert Longo, Jack Goldstein, Laurie Simmons and Richard Prince, and who mixed elements of Conceptual Art and Pop Art using images from popular culture to examine its powerful codes.
Robert Longo’s “Men in the Cities” series, featuring well-dressed individuals in a variety of contorted poses, constitutes an instantly-recognizable and longstanding body of work now synonymous with the artist’s name. Set on the rooftop of Longo’s apartment building, these images capture figures as they duck and dive from flying objects launched by the artist. Longo famously turned on a tennis ball machine which would shoot out balls as his models would 'dance' to avoid getting hit. Authentically frantic and reactionary, the works reveal unexpected moments of bodily grace.
GIA Gallery Poster Disclaimer:
Not to be confused with thousands of contemporary inkjet/giclée/digital reproductions ignorantly or deliberately passed off as originals on the market today. The examples we offer here are the original period vintage (exhibition) posters, created and designed by, or under the supervision and authorization of the artist or their respective estate (posthumously), for various exhibitions and events in which they participated. If applicable, this poster is also fully documented within its respective artists' official catalogue raisonné of authentic graphic works, prints, and or posters.
