‘Robert Rauschenberg and Asia’:
A Cultural Dialogue
Priority booking for M+ Members & Patrons from 31 October, 10:00, to 2 November, 23:59. Public registration available starting 3 November, 10:00.
‘Robert Rauschenberg and Asia’:
A Cultural Dialogue
In today’s context of rapidly shifting social and cultural dynamics and instant global connectivity, what new narratives and insights can we draw from the artistic legacy of Robert Rauschenberg (American, 1925–2008)?
Between the 1960s and 1990s, Rauschenberg travelled regularly to Asia, finding fresh inspiration for his work and making connections with artists, artisans, critics, and patrons across the region. He launched Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI; 1984–1991), a global programme of travelling exhibitions and exchanges, to promote peace and cross-cultural dialogue during the Cold War. Rauschenberg’s practice was profoundly influenced by the diverse cultures and communities he encountered in Asia, and in turn, he left a lasting impact on local art scenes.
Presented as part of the Pao-Watari Exhibition Series, Robert Rauschenberg and Asia showcases the works Rauschenberg made in relation to these travels and projects. This opening talk, hosted by exhibition curator Russell Storer, will explore their narratives, impacts, and legacies. Artist-photographer Christopher Rauschenberg, the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation’s Associate Curator for Research Helen Hsu, and art historian Hiroko Ikegami of the University of Osaka will share their personal stories and extensive research on Rauschenberg’s key projects in Asia, delving into this groundbreaking artist’s links with this region and the significance of revisiting his work today.
The talk will be conducted in English with simultaneous interpretation available in Cantonese and Mandarin. Click on ‘Register’ to sign up for this free talk. Tickets to the exhibition are available for purchase here.
Robert Rauschenberg. Studies for Chinese Summerhall #IV, 1984. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz. Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Robert Rauschenberg, Alex Hay, and Steve Paxton in the performance Twenty Questions to Bob Rauschenberg at Sogetsu Art Center, Tokyo, Japan, November 28, 1964. Photo: Masaaki Sekiya. Image Courtesy of Photograph Collection, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation Archives, New York
Robert Rauschenberg. Capitol (Unions), 1975. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz. Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Robert Rauschenberg. Studies for Chinese Summerhall #IV, 1984. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz. Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Robert Rauschenberg, Alex Hay, and Steve Paxton in the performance Twenty Questions to Bob Rauschenberg at Sogetsu Art Center, Tokyo, Japan, November 28, 1964. Photo: Masaaki Sekiya. Image Courtesy of Photograph Collection, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation Archives, New York
Robert Rauschenberg. Capitol (Unions), 1975. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz. Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Robert Rauschenberg. Studies for Chinese Summerhall #IV, 1984. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz. Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Robert Rauschenberg, Alex Hay, and Steve Paxton in the performance Twenty Questions to Bob Rauschenberg at Sogetsu Art Center, Tokyo, Japan, November 28, 1964. Photo: Masaaki Sekiya. Image Courtesy of Photograph Collection, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation Archives, New York
Robert Rauschenberg. Capitol (Unions), 1975. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz. Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Robert Rauschenberg. Studies for Chinese Summerhall #IV, 1984. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz. Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Robert Rauschenberg, Alex Hay, and Steve Paxton in the performance Twenty Questions to Bob Rauschenberg at Sogetsu Art Center, Tokyo, Japan, November 28, 1964. Photo: Masaaki Sekiya. Image Courtesy of Photograph Collection, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation Archives, New York
Robert Rauschenberg. Capitol (Unions), 1975. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz. Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
About the Speakers
Related Exhibition
Image at top: Robert Rauschenberg on the road to the world’s oldest paper mill in Anhui, taking photographs for his hundred-foot colour photo Chinese Summerhall, 1982. Donald Saff records on Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI). Robert Rauschenberg Foundation Archives, New York. Photo: Elyse Grinstein. © The Elyse Grinstein Estate. Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation