One of the most significant artists of the 80s, Longo’s distinctive works reflect his fascination with all forms of mass media; especially movies, television, magazines, and comic books. Most famous for his writhing, dancing figures in his seminal "Men in the Cities" series, few artists today generate as much thought -provoking commentary about their own art and the state of contemporary culture at large.



Although trained initially in sculpture, drawing remains Longo's favorite form of self-expression. “I've always drawn - I love the line that comes from the hand, it's real power”. Interestingly, within his drawing techniques, the sculptural influence pervades. “Portraits" such as Untitled (Rita) have a distinctive chiseled line that seems to give the drawing a 3D quality. Even Longo himself says ‘My drawings are like sculptures, when I draw with graphite I smudge it with my fingers - move it around physically like clay’. Working processes are complex and meticulous, often requiring assistants and taking weeks to complete. Photographs are first projected onto paper and then figures traced in graphite, stripping away details of the background. Next Longo records basic contours, finally using a combination of graphite and charcoal for "all the cosmetic work" on top.



The innocence and vulnerability of children is the subject of Longo’s most recent body of work, including the stunning; Untitled (Rita), shown recently within “Children of Nyx" at the Metro Pictures Gallery, New York (2007). Despite appearances, these works are not photographs, but rather incredibly life-like, huge charcoal drawings depicting children all apparently sleeping; eyes closed and lips slightly parted.



Rendered in Longo’s signature black and white charcoal style, within Untitled (Rita) the infant’s head floats slightly disconcertingly in a field of dense black. This void combined with her towering six-foot scale lends an abstract, if somewhat unsettling sculptural quality to the piece. The untroubled expression and stillness of the child, while seemingly peaceful, belie the hidden dangers and precariousness of childhood. “Nyx” was the Greek goddess of night and creation; mother of sleep and Death, and Longo's drawings capture these associations perfectly.



Longo’s works are held in collections worldwide including MoMA, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Guggenheim, Walker Art Center, and Pompidou, Paris. A European traveling exhibition is planned for 2008, along with a major retrospective-publication documenting Longo's 30 year career. Solo exhibitions include Los Angeles County Museum in 1989, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago in 1990, and a touring exhibition throughout Japan in 1995. He has also directed rock videos for artists such as R.E.M., and co-directed Mozart´s opera Lucio Silla, at the Mozart Festival in Salzburg, Austria (1992/3).