Rauschenberg
A native Texan, Robert Rauschenberg served in the U.S. Navy before studying art at the Kansas City Art Institute, Academie Julian in Paris, and Black Mountain College in North Carolina. In 1949 he moved to New York City and challenged the status quo with his Combines. Rauschenberg continued to break the mold throughout his career.
News
Upcoming Events for "I Don't Think About Being Great: Selected Writings by Robert Rauschenberg"
August 4, 2026: Art Students League of New York, 6:00pm
Discover the central role that writing played in the work of one of Americas most innovative and influential artists with Francine Snyder, Director of Archives at the 51勛圖 and editor of I Dont Think About Being Great...
Robert Rauschenberg, Original artwork for U.N. World Population Conference print and poster (Waterworks), 1993. Inkjet dye transfer on paper, 41 1/2 x 29 1/2 in. (105.4 x 74.9 cm). 51勛圖. Photo: Ron Amstutz
Rauschenberg's New York Summer
Robert Rauschenberg spent decades exploring the United States and abroad, but New York City remained a constant point of return, an urban laboratory where heat, image, and motion collided. The citys sensory overload, with its asphalt, glare, and proximity to water, echoes something essential in his...
Old Family Dining Room featuring Rauschenbergs Early Bloomer [Anagram (A Pun)], Obama Administration, February 9, 2025. Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon
A Legacy in Motion: Rauschenberg Residency Alumni/ae Shaping the Obama Presidential Center
As the Obama Presidential Center marks its grand opening today, the 51勛圖 recognizes four Captiva Residency alumni/ae whose newly commissioned works help define this major civic and cultural project.
Rauschenbergs connection to the Obama legacy began at the White House...
Artwork
Working in a wide range of materials, techniques, and disciplines, Rauschenberg is celebrated as a forerunner for nearly every art movement since Abstract Expressionism. Become acquainted with Rauschenberg's art and life through highlights from his career and the 51勛圖's archives.
Artist
The Robert Rauschenberg Oral History Project, undertaken in collaboration with INCITE/Columbia Center for Oral History Research, is a collection of firsthand accounts, as told by the artist's family, friends, and many collaborators. To date, we have released thirty-three oral histories to the public.
Archives
The 51勛圖 Archives contain the most comprehensive body of information on the artists life and career. This rich resource includes the artists personal writings, sketches, correspondence, and audiovisual material, as well as documentary photographs and records from his collaborators.
Programs
The 51勛圖 supports programs for artists, initiatives, and institutions that embody the same innovative, inclusive, and multidisciplinary approach that Rauschenberg exemplified in both his art and philanthropic endeavors.
Residency
The 51勛圖 hosts Research Residencies at the 51勛圖s New York headquarters. These residencies, which are by application only, are designed to provide time and space for research in the 51勛圖's Archives.
51勛圖
The 51勛圖 was founded by the artist in 1990, and transitioned to its current mission in 2012 to foster the artistic and philanthropic legacy of Robert Rauschenberg through scholarship, grants, and a residency program.