Statement:

I've always been fascinated with the bridges from this era (the early 20th century). They were made with pride. New bridges are soulless.

Biography:

Born in New Jersey and exposed to its vast industrial landscapes at a young age, Michael Longo paints the power and beauty he sees in bridges, rail yards and factories. Longo uses both large and small canvas in conjunction with limited color palettes to give appropriate visual heft to the massive steel structures he chooses as his subjects. Neither a realist nor an expressionist, Longo works on site to capture the light of his natural skies and the intensity of his structures. He then returns to the studio with a photo from which he includes or omits details to convey his nuanced vision of these complex entities. In contrast to his industrial pastorals, Longo reveals an emotive sensitivity to the human form in his drawings. His use of varying striking degrees of tonal strokes and shadows add depth and emotion to the simplest of his forms. A graduate of Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, Longo currently lives and works in New Jersey.