Robert Rauschenberg
An Oral History
by Edited by Sara Sinclair with Peter Bearman and Mary Marshall Clark
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Pub Date Aug 06 2019 | Archive Date Nov 19 2019
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Description
Robert Rauschenberg is a work of collaborative oral biography that tells the story of one of the twentieth century’s great artists through a series of interviews with key figures in his life—family, friends, former lovers, professional associates, studio assistants, and collaborators. The oral historian Sara Sinclair artfully puts the narrators’ reminiscences in conversation, with a focus on the relationship between Rauschenberg’s intense social life and his art. The book opens with a prologue by Rauschenberg’s sister and then shifts to New York City’s 1950s and ’60s art scene, populated by the luminaries of abstract expressionism. It follows Rauschenberg’s eventual move to Florida’s Captiva Island and his trips across the globe, illuminating his inner life and its effect on his and others’ art.
The narrators share their views on Rauschenberg’s work, explore the curatorial thinking behind exhibitions of his art, and reflect on the impact of the influx of money into the contemporary art market. Included are artists famous in their own right, such as Laurie Anderson and Brice Marden, as well as art-world insiders and lesser-known figures who were part of Rauschenberg’s inner circle. Beyond considering Rauschenberg as an artist, this book reveals him as a man embedded in a series of art worlds over the course of a long and rich life, demonstrating the complex interaction of business and personal, public and private in the creation of great art.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780231192767 |
| PRICE | $35.00 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Dorie K, Reviewer
Robert Rauschenberg:An Oral History
Edited by Sara Sinclair, Peter Bearman and Mary Marshall Clark
due 8-27-2019
5.0 /5.0
#RauschenbergOralHistory. #netgalley
An oral history of Robert Rauschenberg told through interviews with collaborators, professional associates, studio assistants as well as family, friends and former lovers. There are many quotes from his son, Christopher. The prologue was written by his sister. Robert was known for his Combined Paintings, that incorporated actual objects into paintings, and his collages. One of his first, in 1953, showed his humorous and controversial sides, titled 'Erased de Kooning', it was literally a painting of de Kooning, the most popular artist at the time, erased. He is was known for his collaborations with John Cage and Merce Cunningham.
In 1954 he met and started a relationship with Jasper Johns, at a time when it was not acceptable or discussed.
I really enjoyed this well oral biography. The quotes and interviews were well chosen and interesting to read, and about the 'Happenings' of the time. A peek inside the life of a controversial and influential American artist.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for sending this e-book ARC for review.
Julien D, Librarian
I should start by saying I love the work of Robert Rauschenberg. I remember learning about his assemblages in an art history class in college and have enjoyed his pieces every since. That being said, I had never learned anything in depth about him as an artist, much less a person. This book definitely changed that. It is a very well-written, interesting exploration of not only a particular artist from a historical standpoint, but also from a personal standpoint. This is one of the strong suits or oral histories, in my opinion. They can provide rich detail and real context to the general outline of a person's life. It almost felt like I knew Rauschenberg as an acquaintance by the end of the book, and I felt that I grasped something more about his art from that. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in the time period, the creative process, and especially someone interested in the man behind the goats and torn bedsheets. Remarkable.
Mandy J, Reviewer
I really enjoyed this. It’s one thing to know and like (or not) an artist’s work and quite another to really get to know them as a person. Good biographies can do this, of course, but an oral history adds a depth that can’t be got elsewhere. This one explores Rauschenberg through a series of interviews with key figures in his life, from friends to family, lovers to collaborators, colleagues to fellow artists. A range of voices and points of view that I found fascinating. It’s an excellent account of the man and also of the people surrounding him and the art world he was a part of. Thoroughly enjoyable and illuminating.
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