Robert Rauschenberg (Milton Ernest Rauschenberg), born October 22nd 1925, in Port Arthur Texas, was an American Assemblage artist, who studied and trained at Kansas City Art Institute, Académie Julian, Black Mountain College, and the Art Students League of New York. Josef Albers was Rauschenberg's painting instructor, at Black Mountain. Rauschenberg described Albers as influencing him to do "exactly the reverse" of what he was being taught, even though the courses he took relied on strict discipline that did not allow for any "uninfluenced experimentation".
Some of Rauschenberg’s greatest achievements include being awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1993. He also received the Leonardo da Vinci World Award of Arts in 1995 in recognition of his more than 40 years of fruitful art making. In 1951 Rauschenberg had his first one-man show at the Betty Parsons Gallery. Then in 1954 Rauschenberg had a second one-man show at the Charles Egan Gallery. Later, in 1955, at the Charles Egan Gallery, Rauschenberg showed ‘Bed’ (1955), one of his first and certainly most famous Combines.
On May 12, 2008, Rauschenberg died at Captiva Island, Florida. After a personal decision to go off life support, he died of heart failure.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/540643130237681374 / In contrast to the top of the piece, the bottom half is built up of various road signs, mainly a hexagon ‘STOP’ sign. The main colours that form the bottom half are primary colours blue and red which, are made to stand out from the black background. These colours completely contrast to colours in the top half. Unlike the calmness the images and colours at the top of the piece create, the bottom colours; along side the montage of road signs pointing all directions, creates a feeling of confusion and loss of direction with a dark and shady tone.
The piece appears to be composed of various images, which would have been specifically chosen, by Rauschenberg from magazines, books and other resources. It also looks like he has used paints to fill in large arrears and create bold blocks of colour. The Majority of the piece is set to the right and all the business and vibrant colours draw me in to pick out each and every detail.
I couldn't find the reasons why Rauschenberg created this piece or the intended meaning of it however, when I look at the image I see a piece that contrasts within itself. The contrast shows a peaceful and beautiful part of nature which, appears to be getting over took by the sharp shapes and colours of the man made signs, mainly the 'STOP' sign. Maybe the piece could be showing how man is destroying nature and that it should be stopped.
When thinking about the work I am doing at the minute, this piece shows a meaning and a story which is what I would like my pieces to create and portray.
