RIP Robert Rauschenberg

I had a dream... I was surrounded by vivid colourful lights. They seemed to be alive and liquid. As I approached them I have noticed there are some shapes under their translucent hues. Like faces from a news-paper my family was looking towards me; not seeing me but pointing out to my laptop and a cot. Though the objects were two-dimensional and seemed not to have any inter-connection the colour play made them important and somehow personal...I've turned around and I was seating at my desk admiring paintings by Robert Rauschenberg.




But my affair with his ideas started earlier... 14 years ago I was seating at the music class and could not comprehend what is so significant about John Cage's 4’33” (1952) – a piece where musicians perform 4.33 minutes of silence.

The whole 'erasing' started when Rauschenberg (ex-U.S.Marines) purchased a drawing by a friend Willem de Koonig (abstract expressionist) for a bottle of whisky and rubbed it all out. The “Erased De Kooning” was a symbolic manifest against seriousness of Abstract Expressionism and sparked a wave of debates that are difficult to erase.


Erased de Kooning Drawing, Robert Rauschenberg

He was redefining art and opening it for the future. Another example is when he was invited to participate in an exhibition at the Galerie Iris Clert in 1961, where artists where to create portraits of the owner Iris Clert. Rauschenberg’s contribution was a telegram sent to the gallery, reading “This is a portrait of Iris Clert if I say so”.



This is a portrait of Iris Clert if I say so, Robert Rauschenberg



Artist Biography can be found:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/robert-rauschenberg/introduction/49/

Rauschenberg speaking about "Erased De Kooning":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpCWh3IFtDQ

Fantastyka Naukowa-Metal Hurlant-Metal Hammer

One of my first novels I read with a passionate pleasure was 'Dzienniki gwiazdowe' by Stanislaw Lem. The adventures of Ijon Tichy grabed my heart so deaply I became a s-f fanatic acordingly to the family traditions. In 70s my dad would colect boxes of Fantasyka magazine(which as I am aware my mum burnt when the occasion had occured[SIC!] the polish version of famous Metal Hurlant. The nobel reader must be aware that beyond the Iron Curtain the publications reality was extremely reduced. Not until few years ago I found few issues of Metal Hammer crammed next to the toilet seat at one of my co-rented places in London. I recognised the significance of my discovery immediately. 'A-ha' I've thought 'the s-f brotherhood is here'. One has to be a complete ignorant not to appretiate and admire the whole scene of the fantastic creationists. The magazine itself was founded in France 1974 by Humanoids(leter United Humanoids- publishing house) who were: Jean Giraud, Philippe Druillet, Jean-Pierre Dionnet and Bernard Farkas. until 1987 the magazine was a speace for discoveries of a new and young creators.

Arzach

The latter novels like Fragile,Lone Sloane, Exterminator 17 or Arzach had its beginnings in the magazine. Todays game and action film industries wouldn't exist if the Metal Hammer (U.S version) didn't enlarge the market for it in 70s-80s by the professional approach to the adult comic book making. the complex graphics, cinematic imagery and surreal storylines are still the fundations for a successful fantasy and s-f illustrations (John Howe - responsible for Lord of the Ring, Chris Moore,Tomasz Baginski).

Chris Moore

Some essential links:

If you don't have a clue who the mighty Stasiu Lem is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislaw_Lem

Oscar nominated Animation by Tomasz Baginski

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8GyHvBogrI