Government, 1983
Black and white screenprint framed with red plexiglass, and gray-lacquered wall sculpture, overall size 182 x 81 cm. Edition: 15, signed and numbered on print; plus 3 trial proofs in different colors.
In this multi-media edition, Robert Longo stages a confrontation between institutional power and physical strength. At the top, a three-dimensional model of a neoclassical building – evocative of state authority and control; below, a bold image of a nude, muscular male torso printed on red Plexiglas, its assertive pose and heightened physicality echoing themes of dominance and potency. The composition sets up a dialogue between the structures of governance and the display of masculine power, forming a visual icon of “power”.
