M+, Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) in Hong Kong, is pleased to present Robert Rauschenberg and Asia, the first exhibition dedicated to art by Robert Rauschenberg (American, 1925–2008) created during and in response to his travels across Asia. The exhibition highlights cross-cultural and cross-temporal artistic exchange, featuring more than forty pieces by the artist alongside select works by Asian artists in dialogue with his practice. Robert Rauschenberg and Asia is part of the museum’s Pao-Watari Exhibition Series, which is dedicated to key figures and moments in the history of Asian contemporary art and visual culture. It also is part of ‘Rauschenberg 100’, a year-long series of global activities celebrating the centennial of the artist’s birth. The exhibition will open to the public from Saturday, 22 November 2025 to Sunday, 26 April 2026 in the Cissy Pui-Lai Pao and Shinichiro Watari Galleries in M+.

One of the most significant artists of the twentieth century, Rauschenberg espoused a spirit of experimentation and boundless curiosity. He redefined artistic boundaries by incorporating everyday objects and mass media images into his work, profoundly influencing the development of Pop Art, Conceptual Art, and installation art. Collaboration was central to his practice. Rauschenberg’s extensive engagement with Asia included working with artisans in India in 1975, in China in 1982, and in Japan throughout the early 1980s, each inspiring new uses of colour, materials, and techniques. These experiences culminated in the launch of the Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI, pronounced ‘Rocky’) (1984–1991), a groundbreaking initiative in an era of limited global connectivity.

Robert Rauschenberg and Asia is the first exhibition to comprehensively trace Rauschenberg’s trajectories and impacts in Asia. Featuring assemblage, sculpture, photography, drawing, prints, textiles and archival materials, it presents Rauschenberg’s travels and exhibitions between 1964 and 1990. It explores his collaborations with paper makers and ceramicists in China, India, and Japan, while also revisiting the history and legacy of his Asian ROCI projects and their relevance to contemporary practices. The exhibition also features a selection of works by Asian artists who encountered Rauschenberg during his travels, revealing the dialogues he created with artists across the region.

The first part of the exhibition introduces Rauschenberg’s formative encounters in Asia. It spotlights his ongoing engagement with Japan, beginning with a legendary 1964 performance in Tokyo followed by an experimental collaboration with a ceramics company in Shigaraki in the 1980s. This section also explores his transformative 1975 visit to India, where he worked with a paper mill at Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram in Ahmedabad. This experience strengthened his belief in art as a tool for connection and empowerment. Featuring works from key series such as Unions (1975), Jammers (1975–1976), and Japanese Recreational Clayworks (1982–1983/1985), this room showcases how Rauschenberg’s early intercultural exchanges informed his thinking about materials, aesthetics, and the social impacts of art.

The second part of the exhibition explores the Asian segments of the Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI), a self-funded global initiative launched by the artist in 1984 to promote cultural dialogue and world peace during the late Cold War. ROCI comprised exhibitions of Rauschenberg’s work in eleven locations, including Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, China (Beijing and Tibet), Japan, Cuba, the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Germany, Malaysia, and the United States. Each project generated new works inspired by local materials and images, as Rauschenberg forged important connections in the region. ROCI CHINA (1985) became the first Western contemporary art exhibition in the country, while ROCI TIBET (1985) remains the only known solo show by a Western artist there. Although reactions to ROCI were mixed, it also foreshadowed the globalisation of the art world in the 1990s and 2000s and proposed a hopeful vision of cross-cultural exchange in times of international tension.

Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, says, ‘We are honoured to host the first exhibition to comprehensively showcase Robert Rauschenberg’s engagement with Asia. This landmark presentation celebrates his legacy and affirms our commitment to recognising Asian visual culture within the global contemporary art landscape. At M+, we share Rauschenberg’s spirit of openness and cultural exchange across borders. It is through such exchange that we cultivate a deeper understanding of how art can shape shared futures for artists and audiences alike.’

Russell Storer, Senior Curator and Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs, M+, says, ‘It holds special meaning for us to map Robert Rauschenberg’s travels across Asia through this exhibition. His encounters with Asian artisanal traditions and cultural contexts left a lasting imprint on his own practice while opening up new possibilities for contemporary art. By foregrounding these exchanges, we seek to illuminate how Rauschenberg’s openness to collaboration and experimentation made a crucial contribution to cross-cultural artistic dialogues, which continue to shape and enrich the global art landscape today.’

Courtney J. Martin, Executive Director, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, says, ‘Rauschenberg’s encounters in Asia revealed his conviction that art could transcend borders and challenge conventional boundaries—not only in form and medium, but also in the ways people perceive and connect with the world. As we mark the centennial of his birth, this exhibition affirms how his fearless curiosity and collaborative spirit reshaped contemporary art. His legacy continues to galvanise generations of artists, including those working far from his own context, who draw on his example to take risks, forge unexpected connections, and envision new possibilities for art’s role in society. That influence remains as alive today as ever.’

Robert Rauschenberg and Asia is curated by Russell Storer, Senior Curator and Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs, M+, assisted by Mankit Lai, Curatorial Assistant, M+. Supported by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, the exhibition is part of the global celebrations marking the centennial of the artist’s birth, including other exhibitions and events across Europe and North America.

Ticketing arrangements

Visitors can access all M+ exhibitions, including Robert Rauschenberg and Asia, with a single-price admission ticket. Tickets are HKD 190 for adults and HKD 100 for visitors eligible for concessions*. Children ages 6 and below enjoy free admission. Kid and Adult Combo Tickets are available for adults and children ages 7 to 11: HKD 250 for one adult and one child or HKD 400 for two adults and one child. M+ tickets are available for online purchase via the M+ website, WestK website, WestK App, Cityline, China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, Fliggy, Klook, KKday, and Trip.com. For details, please refer to the M+ website.

*Concession tickets are available for full-time students, children ages 7 to 11, senior citizens ages 60 and above, persons with disabilities and one companion, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients.

M+ Membership

M+ annual membership and patron membership offer an exclusive experience of contemporary visual culture for visitors of all ages and backgrounds. M+ Members can enjoy unlimited admission to all M+ exhibitions by presenting their valid membership card upon entry. They also enjoy access to the exclusive M+ Lounge, M+ Private Viewings, priority ticket purchasing, and much more. The annual fee for individual membership is HKD 600 and dual membership is HKD 1,000. Young Member and Senior Member are available at half price. Family Membership is available with an annual fee of HKD 1,200. Meanwhile, M+ Patrons can enjoy unlimited admission to all exhibitions with up to three guests per visit. M+ Members and Patrons can also enjoy exclusive previews to exhibitions prior to public opening; while Patrons enjoy personal invitations to private events plus fifty per cent discounts on additional exhibition tickets. For more information, please visit the M+ website.

About Robert Rauschenberg

One of the most innovative and influential artists of the twentieth century, Robert Rauschenberg (American, 1925–2008) had a long association with Asia. An enthusiastic traveller from his youth, Rauschenberg was deeply impacted by the cultures with which he came into contact. His extended engagement with Japan began in the mid-1960s, and his residency in India in 1975 inspired new approaches to working with materials and colour. After his first trip to China in 1982, he developed the Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI, 1984–1991), a global programme of travelling exhibitions and cultural dialogues.

About M+

M+ is Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture. Located in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK), it is dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, design and architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The landmark M+ building on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbourfront was designed by the world-renowned architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Arup. It spans a total floor area of 65,000 square metres, featuring thirty-three galleries alongside a Learning Hub, Moving Image Centre, Research Centre, and Roof Garden, among other event and programming spaces. The M+ Facade is one of the largest LED screens in the world, showcasing commissioned artworks on the Hong Kong skyline every evening. The museum stewards a multidisciplinary permanent collection that includes objects from regions across Asia and beyond. A highlight is the M+ Sigg Collection, one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of Chinese contemporary art. Today, M+ is a nexus for researching and presenting contemporary visual culture, inspiring thought and curiosity.

About the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK)

WestK is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural hubs in the world and Hong Kong’s new cultural tourism landmark, spanning forty hectares alongside Victoria Harbour. WestK comprises a mix of landmark arts and cultural facilities, including world-class museums M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, intricately designed performing arts venues the Xiqu Centre and Freespace, the eleven-hectare Art Park with a waterfront promenade, and the upcoming WestK Performing Arts Centre.

Hosting over 1,000 exhibitions, performances, programmes, and events each year, WestK provides a vital platform for both emerging and established artists. WestK welcomes more than ten million visitors each year, evolving as the international cultural brand of Hong Kong and strengthening the city’s strategic role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

About Rauschenberg 100

Robert Rauschenberg’s (1925-2008) strong conviction that engagement with art can nurture people’s sensibilities as individuals, community members, and citizens was key to his ethos. The Centennial celebrations seek to allow audiences familiar with him and those encountering the artist for the first time to form fresh perspectives about his artwork.

A year of global activities and exhibitions in honour of Rauschenberg’s Centennial reexamines the artist through a contemporary lens, highlighting his enduring influence on generations of artists and advocates for social progress. The Centennial’s activation of the artist’s legacy promotes cross-disciplinary explorations and creates opportunities for critical dialogue. For further information, please visit rauschenberg100.org.