Mother of Exiles 1986

Robert Indiana made this print, *Mother of Exiles*, working with flat planes of color to create a sense of depth and monumentality. You can see how artmaking can be a process of layering, building up forms from simple shapes. Look closely, and you'll notice how the cool blue and white tones give the Statue of Liberty a ghostly, almost melancholic presence. The texture is smooth, the colors are opaque, and the application seems almost mechanical. And yet, the single tear falling from the statue’s eye—a simple, deliberate mark—introduces an element of vulnerability. The title, superimposed in bold letters, feels both celebratory and cautionary, a reminder of America's complex relationship with immigration. Indiana’s work often uses text and image together, which reminds me of the paintings of Ed Ruscha, though Indiana’s Pop sensibility is all his own. Ultimately, this print is open to interpretation, a visual poem about identity, history, and the enduring power of symbols.