ICONS: RA-RA RAUSCHENBERG

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE INNATELY COOL. IN AN ERA CELEBRATING PRETENSE AND THE CONTRIVED ARTIST PERSONA, ROBBIE RAUSCHENBERG EMERGED AS A RENEGADE BON VIVANT ON THE NEW YORK SCENE. UNCONVINCED BY THE COLDNESS OF SOUP CANS AND SILKSCREENS ABOUND, HE  REFLECTED HIS MISCHIEVOUS WORLD ONTO HIS CANVASES AND MARRIED HIS COMPOSITIONS THROUGH A BRILLIANTLY PASSIONATE DANCE WITH PAINT. I LOVE HOW HE WAS ABLE TO PULL THINGS TOGETHER AND SOMEHOW CONVEY THE SHEER JOY HE FELT IN THE PROCESS OF ART MAKING:

REBUS, 1955. OIL, SYNTHETIC POLYMER PAINT, PENCIL, CRAYON, PASTEL, CUT AND PASTED PRINTED PAPERS, AND FABRIC ON CANVAS MOUNTED AND STAPLED TO FABIC IN THREE PANELS. 

MONOGRAM, 1955-1959 MIXED MEDIUMS WITH TAXIDERMY GOAT, RUBBER TIRE AND TENNIS BALL.

(THIS PIECE ALWAYS CONJURES UP IMAGES OF EDWARD ALBEE'S FABULOUS PLAY 'THE GOAT'. I LOVE THE SWEET SADNESS OF THE FACE.)

DETAIL, MONOGRAM.

UNTITLED, C. 1954 FREESTANDING COMBINE: OIL, PENCIL, CRAYON, PAPER, CANVAS, FABRIC, NEWSPAPER, PHOTOGRAPHS, WOOD, GLASS, MIRROR, TIN, CORK AND FOUND PAINTING, WITH PAINTED LEATHER SHOES WITH PAINTED DOMINIQUE HEN MOUNTED ON WOOD STRUCTURE WITH 5 CASTERS. 

THE BIOGRAPHY BY TOMKINS IS NOTHING SHORT OF SUPERB. IT REALLY CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF ART MAKING IN THE 1960'S IN THE SCENE, BEYOND THE CLICHED IMAGERY OF THE FACTORY.