Longo's "historical constructions" of the Abstract Expressionist canon
Robert Longo's (born 1953) newest series of monumental charcoal drawings pay homage to the European pioneers of postwar art. Following his 2014 series of drawings based on American Abstract Expressionism, in this volume and its accompanying exhibition Longo explores the work of Karel Appel, Jean Dubuffet, Arshile Gorky, Asger Jorn, Yves Klein, Willem de Kooning, Maria Lassnig, Piero Manzoni, Joan Mitchell, Pierre Soulages, Wols and Zao Wou-Ki. By revisiting their work in a contemporary context, Longo offers this new body of work as a "historical construction," highlighting the continued influence of these artists and finding a present-day resonance in their ability to transcend through their work the fraught circumstances of a radically changing world. The book features color reproductions, close-up details and essays.