Biography
Born "Robert Clark" in 1928, the artist changed his name to Indiana as a reference to his home state. In 1946, he turned down the opportunity to attend art school in order to enlist in the Air Force. He attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago after his service, under the G.I. Bill. He began making one-word paintings in the 1960s and met influential artists such as Andy Warhol. He quickly earned a name for himself with his hard-edge painting style and sculptural assemblages, becoming an early leader in the Pop Art movement.
A self-proclaimed "American painter of signs, "Indiana created a highly original body of work that explored American identity, personal history and the power of abstraction and language. His work incorporated numbers and short words such as "EAT," "HUG, " and "LOVE. " In 1966, he began experimenting with the word "LOVE, " arranging the letters in a square. This image has been featured in many paintings and sculptures still seen throughout the world today. He established a legacy that continues to resonate with many contemporary artists who make the written word a central element of their work.