Book of Love #2 1996

Robert Indiana made this screenprint, “Book of Love #2,” with bright colors and hard edges, a real pop explosion of color and feeling. The pink letters hover against that assertive blue backdrop. I wonder what it was like for Indiana to make a picture with such clean shapes. Did he use tape? Stencils? The green oval slicing through the ‘O’ seems so deliberate, a formal interruption. I find myself thinking about other artists who’ve used text in their work, like Ed Ruscha, and how the simplicity of the word "LOVE" makes it universal, accessible. But the slight tilt of the ‘O’ adds a quirkiness. It's like Indiana's saying, "Yeah, love is out there, but it might be a little off-kilter." It’s a conversation across time, a way for artists to riff off each other, challenge each other, and keep the dialogue going.