Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1541487
by example from my father, my mother, and my stepfather [artist Bernard Kirschenbaum]. They showed me that art, like life, is a team sport. Matt Magee Artist, Rauschenberg studio assistant I n O c t o b e r 1 9 9 4 , I i n t e r v i e w e d a t Rauschenberg's studio at 381 Lafayette in lower Manhattan and began working there as a studio assistant full-time for 18 years. I worked closely with Bob's chief curator, David White, on catalog research for exhibitions and as an art handler. I wasn't directly involved in the studio production in Captiva [Florida] but more concerned with the archiving, installation, packing, shipping, storage, and handling of his work at the highest level. I became very familiar with his photography, prints, paintings, and sculptures, and the many processes and materials he used to produce his work. Rauschenberg was a person who said yes more than no and would kiss you full on the lips whenever he saw you. He was omnivorous in his passions and interests and inspired my work as an artist in every way by his complete commitment to his daily practice, which was fully integrated into his life. A special memory with Bob would be on my 40th birthday in 2001 at 381 Lafayette. 76 He was in NYC, staying at 381, and asked that I meet him and David White in the kitchen to look at three framed unique works on paper. I was to choose one as my birthday present. This was yet another one of many examples of his generosity; he wasn't just our boss, he was a friend. Fredericka Hunter Rauschenberg's art dealer, Texas Gallery; excerpt from an article written by Hunter, published in Ultra Magazine, December 1984 When discussing the varied aspects of his work, Rauschenberg admits to a residual Depression-era ethic: "I never waste a thing." Although his paintings do combine diverse images and unlikely materials, each element is presented as a discrete and recognizable whole — without distortion or manipulation. If funny juxtapositions happen, they are enjoyed, acknowledged, even encouraged. If the effects are more sinister, those implications are allowed to exist as well. Consequently, Rauschenberg's work has a broad, universal appeal. Surprising, highly original combinations of images and materials have kept Robert Rauschenberg in the vanguard of contemporary art since the 1950s. The world's greatest artists have always evinced this same ability to seize opportunities, and to create their own inarguably logical, irresistible objects. Within his vital continuum of developing possibilities, the artist says that "I think about art 24 hours a day." Rauschenberg has learned a "natural collaboration" with materials and methods. Whether it is a bucket scavenged on the beach, an exotic paper found in a foreign country, or the conventional tools of the trade, Rauschenberg takes them as found and then decides how best to use them. In spite of the myriad images in his paintings, this attitude of taking advantage of found objects actually leads to a kind of economy — one achieved through clarity of composition. This is a distinct Rauschenberg skill. "When he showed up at the Bayou Club, customarily late but bearing his infectious smile, he grabbed a Jack Daniels and headed directly to the dance floor. Quintessential Bob … Unfazed, well-dressed, and ready to party!" — Susan Davidson, art historian, curator From top: Robert Rauschenberg in front of the Fish House, Captiva, Florida, 1979. Poster for the 1998 exhibition "Robert Rauschenberg: A Retrospective" at The Menil Collection, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG FOUNDATION ARCHIVES, NEW YORK. PHOTO BY TERRY VAN BRUNT. COURTESY MENIL ARCHIVES, THE MENIL COLLECTION, HOUSTON