Saturday, April 23, 2011

Robert Rauschenberg

Robert Rauschenberg ~ Mixed Media and Photo Transfer Lesson

Robert Rauschenberg was an American painter and sculptor, who came into prominence during the Pop Art period by combining photography, printmaking and papermaking.

HIS LIFE: Robert Rauschenberg was born in Texas in 1925. He went to the Kansas City Art Institute and the Académie Julian in Paris, France, where he met the painter Susan Weil. He married Susan Weil in 1950. They had a child together, Christopher. Rauschenberg studied with Josef Albers at Black Mountain. Rauschenberg described Albers as influencing him to do "exactly the reverse" of what he was being taught. Rauschenberg divorced Susan Weil in 1953. According to a 1987 oral history by the composer Morton Feldman, after the end of his marriage, Rauschenberg had romantic relationships with fellow artists Cy Twombly and Jasper Johns. Rauschenberg died on May 12, 2008, on Captiva Island, Florida. He died of heart failure after a personal decision to go off life support. Rauschenberg is survived by his partner of 25 years, artist Darryl Pottorf, who was also his former assistant. Rauschenberg is also survived by his son, photographer Christopher Rauschenberg, and his sister, Janet Begneaud.

HIS ART: Rauschenberg's approach was sometimes called "Neo Dadaist," a label he shared with the painter Jasper Johns. Rauschenberg was also identified with the Pop Art movement. Rauschenberg combined photography, painting, found objects and debri into much of his artwork.