“Rauschenberg at 100: As Large as the World Is” focuses on the Bob Rauschenberg’s deep ties to Southwest Florida. The artist moved to Captiva Island in 1970 and made it the epicenter of his artistic pursuits for the next 38 years. The exhibition, which features locally produced and privately held works — most never before exhibited and spanning several pivotal decades of his career — was scheduled to close May 2. It will now run through Aug. 1.
MORE INFORMATION:
“Rauschenberg at 100: As Large as the World Is” opened Jan. 15 in the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery Annex in Building J, which is the Florida SouthWestern State College library.
The title is drawn from the artist’s deeply held belief and philosophy on the interconnectedness of local and global perspectives. He once said, “Fort Myers is as small as your mind is. It can be just as large as the world is.”
Many of the works in the exhibition have not been previously exhibited.
The exhibition includes:
- “Autobiography” (1968): A monumental “self-portrait” triptych created the same year that Rauschenberg purchased his first property and home on Captiva Island;
- Unique paintings and transfer drawings: Original works from Rauschenberg’s SPREADS, BOREALIS, ANAGRAM, and RUNT series;
- The “MOON MUSEUM” (1969): A tiny collective artwork containing contributions by Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and four other artists, a copy of which was covertly attached to the Apollo 12 lunar lander and flown to the moon by NASA for future discovery. (Rauschenberg later described the “Moon Museum” ceramic wafer as “the smallest piece I have ever made” and “also the farthest away.” The chip is just 1” x ½”.)
A Legacy of Peace and Collaboration
Besides celebrating his centenary, the exhibition also honors Rauschenberg’s role as a global diplomat. Between 1984 and 1991, he launched the Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI) at the United Nations. By bringing art to nations such as Cuba, Chile, Tibet, China and the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War, Rauschenberg used the creative process to transcend political borders, foster cross-cultural understanding and to promote world peace.
As Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz famously remarked, "Robert Rauschenberg was not a giant of American art; he was the giant."
About the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery
The Bob Rauschenberg Gallery was founded as The Gallery of Fine Art in 1979 on the Lee County campus of Florida Southwestern State College/FSW (then Edison Community College).
On June 4, 2004, the Gallery of Fine Art was renamed the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery to honor and commemorate its long-time association and friendship with the artist. The artist insisted on naming the space the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery (versus the “Robert Rauschenberg Gallery”) as it was consistent with the intimate, informal relationship he maintained with both the local Southwest Florida community and FSW.
For the dedication ceremony, the artist (as he often did) created an original print edition to benefit the gallery and to commemorate the event. As he had recently suffered a stroke, Rauschenberg inked his thumb with orange pigment, adding a unique impression on each lithograph and simply signed them “Bob.”
Over more than three decades until his death in 2008, the gallery worked closely with Rauschenberg to present world premiere exhibitions including multiple installations of the “¼ Mile or Two Furlong Piece.”
Admission: Free and open to the Public.
Gallery Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed holidays).
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
