American, 1982, Lithograph

Gift of Jane P. Singer

Food and the act of eating are central to U.S. culture. Robert Indiana’s series, "The American Dream #2," visualizes components of the notorious “American Dream,” and this print uses a fundamental verb – EAT – as a symbol to express this ideal. Fusing the obsession with material food and Americana signage, Indiana’s EAT not only describes the act but alludes to the social practices of creating and consuming food, allowing each viewer to assign personal meaning.