Art:21 | Elegy for Robert Rauschenberg
“Painting relates to both art and life. Neither can be made. (I try to act in that gap between the two.)”
– Robert Rauschenberg, 1959
Elegy for Robert Rauschenberg is an homage to an artist who was my personal hero, and my nemesis, in my student years. He was my hero because of the infallibility of his touch, and the constancy of his ability to invent and re-invent the potency and power of visual art — to push the boundaries of what art could be. He was my nemesis because I saw him as pure genius and his every gesture as perfection — conditions that were not, I thought, possible for others to attain. But my joy and delight in his work continued and my pleasure in talking with him from time to time over the years was enormous.
Curated by Paul Schimmel, Robert Rauchenberg: Combines was shown in early 2006 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. On seeing it there, and upon learning that there were no plans to film it, I asked Bob for permission to do so at the next venue, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
This elegy is dedicated to the memory of Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008) and to the memory of his friendship with my late husband, Earle Brown (1926-2002), whose music has been intertwined and juxtaposed here with images of the glorious Combines.
Susan Sollins-Brown
Executive Director
Art21
Elegy for Robert Rauschenberg has been created from footage filmed by Art21 at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles during the 2006 exhibition of Robert Rauschenberg: Combines. Among the works seen in whole or in part are Minutiae (1954); Interview (1955); Monogram (1955-59); Canyon (1959); Gift for Apollo (1959); Black Market (1961); Empire II (1961); Pantomime (1961); Ace (1962); and Gold Standard (1964). The video is set to music composed by Earle Brown who, along with Rauschenberg, was a member of a small group of friends in the 1950s that included John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Morton Feldman, Jasper Johns, and Christian Wolff, among others. In the spirit of that long-ago friendship, and in the collaborative spirit of that time and group, excerpts from the following works by Brown have been selected and collaged, with permission of The Earle Brown Music Foundation, for this video: Music for Violin, Cello, & Piano (1952); Octet I (1953); Folio and 4 Systems (1954); String Quartet (1965); New Piece (1971); and Special Events (1999).
VIDEO | Producer: Susan Sollins. Camera: Bob Elfstrom. Sound: Ray Day. Editor: Lizzie Donahue. Special thanks to Robert Rauschenberg’s Studio and David White; Paul Schimmel and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; The Earle Brown Music Foundation and Thomas Fichter.
Duration : 0:9:36
[youtube WNslYldmNts]
Tags: 21, abstract, art, art21, artist, Century, contemporary, documentary, elegy, expressionism, mixed media, painting, PBS, series, television, TV, visual
This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm and is filed under contemporary art. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
“All material has …
“All material has history” R. Rauschenberg
No visual artist of his stature has been as important to the world of music and the performing arts.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I have built a 4m …
I have built a 4m high monster that walks in the traffic in sweden check it out !!
its called ” TIGER by LUCKYTHIEF “
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
beautiful music, so …
beautiful music, so relaxing
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Rauschenberg was …
Rauschenberg was one of the greatest artists of the C20th. Absolutely brilliant!
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
great stuff, thanks
great stuff, thanks
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I love this video. …
I love this video. It kinda felt like life after death If your life was painting
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I really enjoyed …
I really enjoyed this video. I was completely enthralled with Rauschenberg’s work during my American Art class this semester. It was interesting how included personal information about his life in his work, like his relationship with Jasper Johns and commentary on his sexuality in his piece “Bed”
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
i have …
i have claustrophobia and feel trapped when i see the goat
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
i love this guys …
i love this guys work,, my tutors says im like him ha nah maybe kindered spirt but we are all diff in out own ways.. fantasitc thanks for sharing!
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
his work stirs an …
his work stirs an emotion in you,…that is arts desire,
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I feel hate when I …
I feel hate when I see this object, but four minutes latter I understand a little…and think…this is interesting, very interesting.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I have to agree …
I have to agree with GPOTSA this is one amazing goat the only thing im a little dissapointed at is the way they ignore the shirt sleeve and tennis ball in this video. Why ? is it because they are ballist’s or sleeveist’s ? hello it is the 21st century god dam it. I would recommend seeing the monogram in the flesh it is a truly amazing piece. What an artist.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
More sheep with …
More sheep with tires wrapped round them I say! That’s what the world needs! & The music’s brilliant also, something you can whistle to on the way to work!
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
This is epic.A …
This is epic.A beautiful ode to a truly revolutionary mind.And to the composer of this piece bravo.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
pentomime is my …
pentomime is my favorite
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
whats up with a lot …
whats up with a lot of artists having the same letter inicials anyone noticed??
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
thank you for …
thank you for adding the fact its someones INTERPRETATIONS of Rauschenbergs work…many must not know what elegy means, and just jump to the conclusion that the person behind this video has greatly defaced rauschenbergs work with a “weird” video… psh. I too want to say congratulations and thanks. I enjoyed much.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I think thats why …
I think thats why the title includes elegy. It is an interpretation or a collection from a viewer of his work. This person who put the film together was inspired by his work in that way. For Rauschenberg we sohuld respect what artistic insights he delivers others with… whether we agree or enjoy the chosen medium or not.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I made the mistake …
I made the mistake of actually reading the comments, and likewise am making a second mistake by writing my own, but….
Congratulations to Producer Susan Sollins for having the vision and the guts to dare produce a video INTERPRETING the works of the MASTER-RAUSCHENBERG.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Yeah, thats the way …
Yeah, thats the way to get into his artworks! Did u actually went to film the works itself? Must b, it all looks so lively.
thank you for putting this on in memory of both artists presented.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
shitty editing – …
editing – music
April 28th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
awful editing – …
awful editing – awful music
April 28th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
if you want to see …
if you want to see some work, find a book. there are many. although, to me, this video is as close to actually experiencing an art show, for all its distractions and multiple points of view, that i’ve seen. outside of, you know, an art show. it seems, from her note here, that this video is a statement of her affection for the artist and his work, a personal reaction, an artist viewing art.
i love it.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
This “music” is …
This “music” is composed by Earle Brown, a New Yorkean composer, one of the most important ones in the 20th century, and friend of R. Rauschenberg. There is no need to offend it if you didn’t like the video…
April 28th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Dammit i hate how …
Dammit i hate how this video tryes to be artistic instead of just showing the works of the artist … I didnt open this video so that i could see some “fanzy” video editing and hear some weird “music”, i opened it cause i wanted to see some work and maybe learn something new about this amazing artist… It seems to me like whom ever did this video, wanted me to see there work more than they wanted me to see Robert Rauschenbergs work… Sorry if i sound angry.