016. Robert Rauschenberg

From Combines to Community: The Radical Imagination of Robert Rauschenberg

Robert Rauschenberg Portrait Session #1 by Bob Berg. Getty Images.

Introduction

Robert Rauschenberg was never content to stay within the lines. Born in 1925 and rising to fame during a transformative period in American art, Rauschenberg challenged the very definition of what art could be. He blurred boundaries between mediums, incorporated found objects into fine art, and collaborated across disciplines, ushering in a new era of experimentation. As both a visionary and a provocateur, he helped dismantle the dominance of Abstract Expressionism and paved the way for Pop, performance, and conceptual art.