Rauschenberg Tribute Exhibtion

Rauschenberg Tribute Exhibition

The Museum of the Gulf Coast is remembering one of America’s great artists, Robert Rauschenberg, with the first ever Rauschenberg Tribute Exhibition: an International Juried Competition. Early in 2009, the Museum called for entries from artists around the world whose work is influenced by and/or reflective of Robert Rauschenberg.

The Museum received 76 entries from across the United States and the world. Entrants submitted more than 188 works for consideration. “We received a diversity of work which is very reflective of Rauschenberg and his influence,” says director Shannon Harris. “He was an innovator in the use of collage, mixed media, sculpture, and printmaking and you can see these influences in the works that were submitted. What is also interesting is that themes such as global consciousness and concern for the environment which were often present in Rauschenberg’s work, are found in many of the submitted works, as well as his sense of humor and unconventionality.”

This spring, Juror Susan Davidson, Senior Curator for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, selected 40 works for the exhibition which will be exhibited August 30 – October 22, 2009 at the Museum of the Gulf Coast. A free opening reception will be held at the Museum on Sunday, August 30, 2009 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. featuring a presentation by Lynne Lokensgard, director of the Dishman Gallery and the Art Department at Lamar University in Beaumont. Lokensgard will discuss Rauschenberg and his role in the context of art history. Winners will be announced at a juror’s reception with special guest Susan Davidson on Sunday, September 27, 2009 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at which time cash prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd placements: $1,000, $500, and $250.

The Museum will also host FREE film screenings of the PBS documentary Rauschenberg: Inventive Genius on four Saturday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. during the exhibition: September 5, September 19, October 3 and October 17.

“This is an opportunity to both celebrate Rauschenberg’s global impact and to pay tribute to him in his hometown. There are so many current artists who have been influenced by Rauschenberg’s groundbreaking work and it will be fantastic to see a variety of them displayed in one show. We feel it will be the ultimate tribute to someone who so appreciated the role of artists in the world.”

Born Milton Ernst Rauschenberg in Port Arthur in 1925, Rauschenberg became one of the most innovative and prolific modern artists of our time. He bridged the gap between abstract expressionism and pop art through his unique methods of painting, printmaking, sculpture and performance art and was a lifelong advocate for the arts and artists around the world. Rauschenberg was posthumously awarded the Texas Medal of Arts for Lifetime Achievement by the State of Texas on April 7, 2009.

Note: Artists selected for exhibition are listed under Museum News

Photo Credit: Robert Rauschenberg with founding Port Arthur Historical Society President Sydalise Fredeman on the occasion of Port Arthur's centennial celebrations in 1998.