Robert Rauschenberg: Retrospective (1979)

Watching Robert Rauschenberg interact with his own work, from its early stages to a finished product, is to understand how much of himself he places into his art. Noting that in his first attempts at painting, he used his own hands as opposed to a brush, Rauschenberg expresses to us his need create and be present within his work. Rauschenberg explains how he strays from specific images or items that may isolate his audience and focuses on commonly seen content. Much like his relationship with the materials he finds himself working with, Rauschenberg wants those viewing his pieces to create a spur of the moment connection. He feels as though anything preconceived, whether it be materials or interpretations, throws off the authenticity of art. Rauschenberg states that he "would substitute anything for preconception or deliberateness" and goes on to say "if that moment can't be as fresh and as strange as what's going on all around you then it's false". (Robert Rauschenberg) Strange, indeed, is what a viewer may feel when looking at one of Rauschenberg's notable Combines, in which his art defies all former notions of composition and plays boldly with texture, sculpture and genre. Rauschenberg's desire to interact with his art is palpable and it is that passion that drives us, as viewers, to seek a similar connection when face to face with his creations. Robert Rauschenberg: Retrospective includes important examples of the artist's diverse and extraordinary accomplishments, tracing his development from his student years and his earliest experiments to a retrospective of his work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. From explorative early pieces like Erased de Kooning Drawing (1953) to his famed collage works such as Buffalo II (1964) and Autobiography (1968) Rauschenberg's work stands out with a daring boldness.