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Robert Indiana Quotes

Powerful Robert Indiana for Daily Growth

About Robert Indiana

Robert Indiana (1928-2018), an American painter and sculptor, was renowned for his distinctive pop art style that integrated simple images and text into bold compositions. Born as Robert Clark on September 13, 1928, in New Castle, Indiana, he later adopted the name 'Indiana' as a tribute to his birthplace. Raised by his grandmother after his parents' divorce, Indiana attended the Muncie Art Institute before serving in the United States Coast Guard during the Korean War. It was during this period that he began creating works inspired by American signs and symbols, which would later define his pop art style. In 1954, Indiana moved to Edna St. Vincent Millay's former home on the island of Vinalhaven in Maine. Here, he immersed himself in a solitary but productive life focused on art-making. In 1961, he created his first iconic work, "LOVE," a pop art sculpture made from steel and aluminum letters that would become one of the most recognized symbols of American art. Indiana's works were deeply influenced by his love for American vernacular culture, as well as religious and philosophical themes. He is best known for his series "The American Series" (1960-1979), which includes iconic images such as 'Number 3' (1964) and 'Number 10' (1967). Throughout his career, Indiana exhibited widely, with notable shows at the Stable Gallery in New York City and the Museum of Modern Art. Despite his success, Indiana remained deeply connected to Vinalhaven, where he continued to live and work until his death on May 18, 2018. His legacy continues to inspire artists worldwide and has left an indelible mark on American pop art.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Love is what you've got to find."

Robert Indiana's quote, "Love is what you've got to find," emphasizes that love is not something we can simply possess or obtain casually. Instead, it requires effort, seeking, and discovery—a journey of understanding and connection with oneself and others. Love transcends material possessions and superficial relationships; it is a profound feeling that enriches our lives and helps us find meaning and purpose. This quote underscores the importance of actively seeking love in all its forms and encourages us to look beyond the surface level to truly connect with ourselves, others, and the world around us.

"The world needs more love and less paperwork."

Robert Indiana's quote, "The world needs more love and less paperwork," emphasizes the importance of emotional connection and compassion in contrast to bureaucratic processes and formalities. It suggests that while administrative tasks are essential for society's functioning, they should not overshadow the need for human interaction and emotional fulfillment. In essence, Indiana's quote is a call to prioritize empathy, understanding, and love in our lives over red tape and paperwork.

"The only thing worse than a broken heart is a mended one that's still broken."

This quote by Robert Indiana implies that while healing from a broken heart can bring relief, it does not necessarily mean the pain has been completely resolved. In fact, the healing process may expose deeper wounds, making the remaining fragments of the broken heart even more painful to bear. The phrase "still broken" suggests that there remains a lingering sense of loss or longing despite attempts at healing and moving on. It is a poignant reminder that emotional scars can run deep and healing takes time.

"Sailing takes me away from the everyday."

This quote suggests that sailing, for Robert Indiana, is an escape from routine or mundane life. It's a means to break free from daily responsibilities and obligations, allowing one to find tranquility, peace, and perhaps, new perspectives away from the usual routine. In essence, it signifies a temporary relief from the ordinary in favor of exploring the unknown and rejuvenating the spirit.

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words, and never stops at all." (This quote is actually by Emily Dickinson but often incorrectly attributed to Robert Indiana.)

This quote expresses the perpetual and comforting presence of hope within one's spirit, symbolized as a bird with melodious songs, devoid of specific words. The enduring nature of this hope is emphasized by its continuous singing, reminding us that even in the absence of tangible signs or explanations, there is an ever-present, silent encouragement driving forward through difficult times.

Many, many of my paintings have come from the first chapter of Moby Dick.

- Robert Indiana

Come, Paintings, Moby, Chapter

I never had the exposure to techniques and so forth that children have today with art workshops, but I always had crayons and pencils and still have work going right back to when I was five or six years old.

- Robert Indiana

Back, Crayons, Had, Pencils

My art is a disciplined high dive - high soar, simultaneous & polychromous, an exaltation of the verbal-visual... my dialogue.

- Robert Indiana

Art, High, Disciplined, Simultaneous

I'm sure all the people who have been born 20 years ago don't know anything about me at all except 'LOVE', and that's a nasty word.

- Robert Indiana

Love, Been, Sure, Nasty

When I was painting portraits and - shall we say? - rather allegorical heads, which is the figurative work which immediately preceded the direction I have since gone, these images were always of a very fixed, rigid quality, and, of course, my work still has this aspect.

- Robert Indiana

Rather, Very, Portraits, Fixed

The messages that my work might contain, the verbal aspects, the use of words, certainly I never mean for it to be more than - shall we say? - fifty percent of the total, and sometimes my active interest is much less than that. It is the formal aspect of my painting which fascinates me most.

- Robert Indiana

Fifty, Sometimes, Use, Fascinates

I really have to think of myself as a painter first because sculpture came much, much later. As a student at the Art Institute in Chicago, I simply never became involved in sculpture. I did prints, and I did paintings.

- Robert Indiana

Art, Think, Became, Institute

I realize that protest paintings are not exactly in vogue, but I've done many.

- Robert Indiana

Art, Protest, Paintings, Vogue

'LOVE' bit me. It was a marvelous idea, but it was also a terrible mistake. It became too popular; it became too popular.

- Robert Indiana

Love, Mistake, Became, Marvelous

'Hug' is my mother's word for affection.

- Robert Indiana

Mother, Affection, Word, Hug

I've always been fascinated by numbers. Before I was seventeen years old, I had lived in twenty-one different houses. In my mind, each of those houses had a number.

- Robert Indiana

Mind, Always, Been, Seventeen

The actual technique, the process of painting flat color and simple geometric edges, all dates from my time here on Coenties Slip.

- Robert Indiana

Process, Here, Actual, Dates

Those damned Abstract Expressionists. They were a major problem. Because the critics adored them to such an extent, reams and reams, pages and pages of articles about Abstract Expressionists, when we came along, we were just not taken seriously at all.

- Robert Indiana

Problem, About, Extent, Abstract

When I was a kid, my mother used to drive my father to work in Indianapolis, and I would see, practically every day of my young life, a huge Phillips 66 sign. So it is the red and green of that sign against the blue Hoosier sky. The blue in the 'Love' is cerulean. Therefore, my 'Love' is an homage to my father.

- Robert Indiana

Love, Young, Against, Homage

It would be my intention that everybody should have love, and there are a lot of people in the world.

- Robert Indiana

Love, Everybody, Lot, Intention

I have been writing poetry ever since I was in high school. My poetry mainly concerned the theme of love. And that, of course, is an endless subject.

- Robert Indiana

Love, Been, Concerned, Theme

Love is a dangerous commodity - fraught with peril.

- Robert Indiana

Love, Fraught, Commodity, Peril

I'm a little disappointed in what's happened. I'm beginning to lose faith in Obama. This Syria thing is ridiculous. He should not be drawing red lines.

- Robert Indiana

Beginning, Lose, Obama, Disappointed

There are people who don't like popularity. It's much better to be exclusive and remote.

- Robert Indiana

Better, Like, Exclusive, Popularity

Some people like to paint trees. I like to paint love. I find it more meaningful than painting trees.

- Robert Indiana

Love, Some, Like, Some People

I didn't think much about Marsden Hartley until very recently, but Gertrude Stein found him to be the best American painter in Europe at the time she was alive. I consider my tributes to him my most important works.

- Robert Indiana

Very, Stein, Works, Recently

I think of my peace paintings as one long poem, with each painting being a single stanza.

- Robert Indiana

Art, Think, I Think, Poem

I was the least Pop of all the Pop artists.

- Robert Indiana

Art, Artists, Least, Pop

The American Dream - that's our folly. That's our folly. Look where we're ending up.

- Robert Indiana

Ending, Dream, Folly, American Dream

I paint the American scene.

- Robert Indiana

American, Scene, Paint

There are only two people in 'Eat' - myself and my favorite cat, Pachiki - and for 40 minutes, I eat one mushroom.

- Robert Indiana

Myself, Two People, Minutes, Cat

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