William Shearburn Gallery Santa Fe: 129 West San Francisco, 2nd Floor * Santa Fe, NM 87501

Opening Reception: Friday, July 3rd, 5 -7 pm

Driven by his passion for popular culture and rejection of the seriousness of the Abstract Expressionism, Rauschenberg explored nontraditional artistic methods and materials. In doing so he redefined the boundaries of art in 1950s and thereafter. From his use of everyday objects such as a tire or a shoe heel in his early “combine” collages, to his transfer of newspaper and magazine photographs of current events in his two-dimensional works, Rauschenberg bridged the gap between real life and art.

The exhibition will consist of unique works and multiples, including three large works from Rauschenberg Overseas Cultural Interchange. R.O.C.I., pronounced “Rocky,” is a pivotal body of work begun by the artist in 1985 as a reflection of his submersion into various foreign countries and their cultures. These works employ Rauschenberg’s classic photo collage technique using a silk screen like process in which a wax pigment is heated and forced through metal screens onto steel sheets. The result is a beautiful balance of deep color saturation and muted fields and images.