Love is God, 2014

Robert Indiana (1928–2018) was a defining figure of postwar American art, celebrated for transforming words, numbers, and familiar graphic symbols into powerful explorations of identity, emotion, and American culture. Although closely associated with Pop Art, Indiana described himself as an “American painter of signs,” developing a distinctive visual language rooted in bold typography, hard-edged geometry, and vivid color. His iconic *LOVE* motif became one of the most recognizable images of the twentieth century, yet language carried deeply personal and often spiritual significance throughout his practice. Words such as LOVE, HOPE, EAT, and DIE functioned not simply as graphic devices but as vehicles through which Indiana addressed universal themes of faith, mortality, desire, and the human condition.

Created in 2014, *Love Is God* revisits one of the most meaningful ideas within Indiana’s career, connecting his celebrated LOVE imagery with its spiritual origins. The composition derives from an important early painting of the same title and reflects Indiana’s childhood exposure to Christian Science, where the relationship between love and the divine left a lasting impression on him. Here, the words “LOVE IS GOD” are embedded within Indiana’s characteristic geometric structure, transforming a simple declaration into a monumental visual statement. Executed as a silkscreen on 5-ply museum board and measuring an imposing 84 × 84 inches (213.4 × 213.4 cm.), this exceptionally large-format work was produced in a small edition of only 25 and is signed and numbered by the artist. Its combination of monumental scale, striking graphic clarity, and spiritual resonance makes *Love Is God* a particularly compelling late expression of the themes that defined Indiana’s career.