"I think of my peace paintings as one long poem, with each painting being a single stanza"

Robert Indiana’s reflection on his peace paintings as “one long poem, with each painting being a single stanza” illuminates the deep connection between visual art and literary form. Just as a poem is not merely a collection of isolated stanzas, but a continuous thread of thought, emotion, and meaning woven together, Indiana’s series of paintings transcend individual canvases to form a unified meditation on peace. Each painting, as a stanza, holds its own identity, expression, and rhythm, yet contributes to the larger narrative he wishes to convey.

Indiana’s approach treats visual art as a language, where shapes, colors, and symbols become words, phrases, and sentences. His paintings do not stand alone as solitary declarations; instead, they interact with one another, building layers of nuance and resonance. The recurring themes and motifs in his peace paintings—such as bold typographic elements, circles, and vibrant colors—become refrains in his visual poem, calling forth echoes of previous stanzas and anticipating what follows. There is a sense of continuity, of time unfolding, and of meaning evolving as the viewer engages with each painting in context with the others.

By likening his artistic process to composing poetry, Indiana invites viewers to explore his entire series contemplatively, lingering on each work as a unique “stanza” that gains greater depth within the grand structure of the “poem.” This metaphor encourages an understanding of the paintings not merely as aesthetic objects but as vehicles for communication and reflection. It highlights the cumulative emotional and philosophical impact that a series can foster, far exceeding the power of any single piece. In emphasizing the interconnectedness of art forms—painting and poetry—Indiana ultimately suggests that peace itself is not a moment, but an ongoing process, composed of many parts that together form a resonant whole.