Robert Indiana. Love. Screenprint 1967

The letters of the word LOVE printed in red against a blue and green ground, arranged in a square formation, with LO at the top and VE below. The image is printed to the edge of the sheet on 3 sides but a wide un-printed margin is left on the remaining side.

With Circ.576, 577 and 578-1978 this print forms the set 'Love Wall'. They form part of a portfolio of works by various artists entitled 'R1-67' published on the occasion of the exhibition 'Formen der Farber' [Form in Colour] at the Würtembergischer Kunstverein, Bonlanden Bei Stuttgart. Other prints in the portfolio are by: Joseph Albers, Allan D'Arcangelo, Max Bill, Robin Denny, Nicholas Krushenik, Karl Pfaler, Richard Smith, William Turnbull, and Victor Vasarely.

This suite of four comprises two sets of duplicates. In the catalogue raisonné (see References tab) they are illustrated as a square block of four, the upper pair mirror images of each other and the lower pair mirror images of each other, but they also act as mirror images vertically as well as horizontally. However, in order to create this conformation two of the sheets have to be turned upside down. In the V&A prints the duplicate pairs are Circ. 576 and Circ. 579-1968 and Circ 577 and Circ. 578-1968

This is one of the iconic images of American Pop Art. Indiana himself has reworked the motif in prints, paintings and sculptures, and it was even used as a design for a U.S. postage stamp. It has also been much imitated and 'quoted' by other artists and designers. It has come to stand as an emblem for the spirit of the 1960s, the era of 'free love' and sexual liberation. The image has the visual impact of an advertising poster or a corporate logo.

CIRC.579-1968