Robert Indiana: A Sculpture Retrospective

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

Not long after the passing of artist Robert Indiana this past summer, the Tampa Museum of Art announced the exhibition, “Robert Indiana: A Sculpture Retrospective.”  It is currently on view (through March 17th, 2019) and I visited the exhibition last week.  I knew I was going to see his iconic “LOVE” sculpture and probably some variants, but what I did not expect was to be so moved by his other sculpture work.

Among the polychrome aluminum sculptures that have become such a part of consumerist pop culture that they appear on everything from mugs to Christmas cards, were his assemblages.  These totems stand in stark contrast to the clean lines and smooth surfaces of his graphic design-style “LOVE” sculptures.  The assemblages are rough, but cleverly organized, utilizing discarded wood beams, wheels and rusted metal.  Each one contains an element of design in the form of painted words or numbers that subtly suggests an inspiration for the totem or, more accurately, a concept to ponder.

For more information on this exhibition, please visit…

http://tampamuseum.org/current-exhibitions/

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.