Robert Longo : Stand

Stand was a 2012 site-specific installation by Robert Longo (born 1953) which fully utilized the unique architecture of the Capitain Petzel gallery in Berlin. The building was shrouded with an enormous monochrome depiction of the American flag. Upon entering the gallery, the viewer was immediately confronted with a large charcoal drawing. This was flanked by two drawings: one depicted a mass of Occupy Wall Street protesters; the other, a lone American soldier walking toward an uncertain and ominous future. With the consent of the artist, Longo also updated the style and content of Hans Haacke's Oelgemaelde, Hommage à Marcel Broodthaers (1982). He replaced Ronald Reagan, opposite an image of a crowd protesting the deployment of American missiles in Bonn, with President Obama, facing Tea Party protestors. The remainder of the gallery exhibited a group of 25 drawings and featured a performance based upon the classic American novel Moby Dick.