This was a revealing intimate look at Robert Rauschenberg not just the artist but the man.Interviews of people in his life friends other artists lovers.A very interesting look at the real man.#netgalley#columbiauniveristy

I really enjoyed this. It’s one thing to know and like (or not) an artist’s work and quite another to really get to know them as a person. Good biographies can do this, of course, but an oral history adds a depth that can’t be got elsewhere. This one explores Rauschenberg through a series of interviews with key figures in his life, from friends to family, lovers to collaborators, colleagues to fellow artists. A range of voices and points of view that I found fascinating. It’s an excellent account of the man and also of the people surrounding him and the art world he was a part of. Thoroughly enjoyable and illuminating.

I should start by saying I love the work of Robert Rauschenberg. I remember learning about his assemblages in an art history class in college and have enjoyed his pieces every since. That being said, I had never learned anything in depth about him as an artist, much less a person. This book definitely changed that. It is a very well-written, interesting exploration of not only a particular artist from a historical standpoint, but also from a personal standpoint. This is one of the strong suits or oral histories, in my opinion. They can provide rich detail and real context to the general outline of a person's life. It almost felt like I knew Rauschenberg as an acquaintance by the end of the book, and I felt that I grasped something more about his art from that. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in the time period, the creative process, and especially someone interested in the man behind the goats and torn bedsheets. Remarkable.

Robert Rauschenberg:An Oral History
Edited by Sara Sinclair, Peter Bearman and Mary Marshall Clark
due 8-27-2019
5.0 /5.0
#RauschenbergOralHistory. #netgalley

An oral history of Robert Rauschenberg told through interviews with collaborators, professional associates, studio assistants as well as family, friends and former lovers. There are many quotes from his son, Christopher. The prologue was written by his sister. Robert was known for his Combined Paintings, that incorporated actual objects into paintings, and his collages. One of his first, in 1953, showed his humorous and controversial sides, titled 'Erased de Kooning', it was literally a painting of de Kooning, the most popular artist at the time, erased. He is was known for his collaborations with John Cage and Merce Cunningham.

In 1954 he met and started a relationship with Jasper Johns, at a time when it was not acceptable or discussed.

I really enjoyed this well oral biography. The quotes and interviews were well chosen and interesting to read, and about the 'Happenings' of the time. A peek inside the life of a controversial and influential American artist.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for sending this e-book ARC for review.