Robert Rauschenberg

Currently on view in Hong Kong at De Sarthe Gallery are six works by Rauschenberg, which he created later in his career, from 1968 to 2005. During this time, the artist transitioned from his experimental “Combines” to transfer drawings and silk printing, but still incorporated imagery from American popular culture into his works.

An example of his transfer drawing technique can be seen in Bryce Baby (1968), where he appropriated text and images from photographs, newspapers and comic strips. This minimalistic composition features heavy paint-strokes, a soft beige palette and randomly placed letters, with the words “Big” written backwards. Such details give Bryce Baby a raw, organic feel, and the piece’s mismatched aesthetic unites it with other works in the show.

Along with the unfinished quality of his work, Rauschenberg also liked to challenge his viewers to encounter the unknown. During 2000 to 2002, Rauschenberg completed his series “Short Stories,” in which each piece of work is named with page and paragraph numbers as though part of a story. Here, Rauschenberg invites the audience to create their own narrative around a set of images. Displayed at De Sarthe is a selection from this series called Page 10, Paragraph 3 (2001). Appearing like a scrapbook, the work features disconnected imagery: an American flag displayed on a storefront window; a pavement rife with overgrowth; road signs against a white-bricked house; and a small dog peering back over his shoulder. The lack of order in Rauschenberg’s work allows the viewers to have an open interpretation of his images; the artist himself had intended for his audience to think freely of the possibilities that his images offer. In his artist statement for this series Rauschenberg noted: “Your story or dream . . . these are your personal treasures to share or keep secret . . . think of them as seeds . . . the stories can change as time does . . . move fearlessly with love.”