Robert Rauschenberg: Phaidon Focus

by Catherine Craft

Robert Rauschenberg (1925 – 2008) was one of the most prolific and innovative artists of the post-war period, whose work, ranging across a number of disciplines, has had a profound influence on avant-garde art since the 1950s.By working in what he called ‘the gap between art and life’, Rauschenberg aimed to bring a new scale and physicality to his paintings. Early on in his career, Rauschenberg produced groups of monochrome paintings, white, followed by black, and red. The White Paintings (1951), canvases painted with white latex house-paint, function as hypersensitive surfaces that register changes in their surroundings. This new emphasis encouraged viewers to attend to phenomena ordinarily ignored when looking at a painting, such as the play of shadows across its surface.In his Combines, works melding painting and sculpture, Rauschenberg brought elements of popular culture and everyday life into his art through the process of collage, integrating a staggering array of materials into his compositions. His first and most famous combines was titled Monogram, a 1959 work that consisted of a stuffed angora goat, a tire, a police barrier, the heel of a shoe, a tennis ball, and paint. Rauschenberg’s ‘gap’ became the site of more than half a century of endeavours through which he redefined not only what materials could comprise a work of art but what a work of art could be. From the Combines, Rauschenberg branched out into printmaking, silkscreen paintings, performance, works involving technology and many other activities.Widely illustrated with Rauschenberg's works and photographs of the artist in performance and in his studio, this book also examines Rauschenberg's extensive involvement in the performing arts, tracing his connections to avant-garde dance in America and addressing his own performances and work with the well-known choreographers Merce Cunningham and Trisha Brown.

Genres: Art

144 pages, Hardcover

First published March 27, 2013

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, but that wasn’t surprising because I love Robert Rauschenberg. This reads a lot like you’re listening to a lecture at an art museum, with background biographical information about the artist, along with art criticism, and corresponding photos of the work. I got this book from the library, but I’m definitely feeling tempted to buy a copy. Rauschenberg’s work is like that- you can come back to it over and over again. You only “get it” for flashes at a time. You know you love it, but you can never quite put your finger on why you love it so much.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of this fascinating and incredibly inventive artist.

[Brian Kovesci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly an interesting person. He seems like the least artist-like artist I've read about.

[Joel Pelanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the Focus books so far. De-lightful!