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Decade: Autoportrait 1969

1977

Images

Decade: Autoportrait 1969, a 72-inch square painting with a yellow ground and a circle containing a yellow decagon dominating the canvas. In the center of the circle is a large cream and black numeral one. Painted on top of the one is a yellow and cream star, and on top of the star is a black and yellow numeral nine. Text, arrows and numbers are painted in the spaces between the arms of the stars. On the right side "Penobscot" is painted in black letters, with a black arrow to the left of the letters E, N, and O. Below the T are a cream, yellow and black number 68, and a black 72. Indiana is painted in black at the bottom of the circle, with a three chain links above, the central one is yellow and the the other two black. "Eli" is painted in black in the upper left, and "Skid Row" in black, with a black arrow to its right, appear in the lower left side.

Decade: Autoportrait 1969

1977

Oil on canvas

72 × 72 in. (182.9 × 182.9 cm)

 

Photo: Steven Sloman; Artwork: © Morgan Art Foundation Ltd./Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

The Star of Hope, Vinalhaven, Maine; the three links, the symbol of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, are visible above the central windows

The Star of Hope, Vinalhaven, Maine; the three links, the symbol of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, are visible above the central windows

Description

Nine is the number before death and yellow and black is beware danger. ’69 is of course is very conspicuous. The Odd Fellows symbol is there, the three links. And it is the year that I found the Star of Hope, and which is in the middle of the Penobscot Bay and E-L-I is many things. It is Eliot Elisofon. It is Ellen Elisofon, his daughter, who accompanied me to the island from Skowhegan, and I was still, however on skid row, which again, is the Bowery.  

— Robert Indiana

 

Excerpt from Susan Elizabeth Ryan, interview with Robert Indiana, May 5, 1992, Robert Indiana: Figures of Speech Archive, 1987–2005.