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Portrait Of A Trendsetter

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By ESTHER HAMMER

Tribune correspondent

Published: June 22, 2008

TAMPA - It's not every day that a Tampa museum hosts an exhibit of original works by an artist with the stature and international renown of the late Robert Rauschenberg. One of his works, an abstract called "Backwash," recently sold at Sotheby's for a record $814,000.

Probably one of the most influential and prominent artists of the last century, Rauschenberg enjoyed a special connection with the University of South Florida. It was at USF's Graphicstudio that Rauschenberg created more than 30 editions of prints, clay pieces, sculptures and photographs between 1972 and 1987. During that period, he established his residency and opened a large studio in Captiva, where he lived until his death May 12.

Now the Contemporary Art Museum on campus celebrates Rauschenberg's many contributions to art as well as Tampa's claim to call him their own with an exhibit of his works.

About 80 percent of the exhibit is selected from works created at Graphicstudio, works now in the museum's permanent collection. The rest is from collectors in the community.

Piece by piece, the exhibit demonstrates Rauschenberg's considerable skills in a wide range of media, including clay, photography, paint, sculpture and several printing methods.

"Bob was always interested in working across a variety of media," said Peter Foe, curator for the museum's permanent collection.

There are ceramic creations (from the "Clay Pieces" series) that look as if they are of a totally different substance, a potato sack for one, a crushed cardboard box for another. There's a collage of famous faces and a collage of scenes from China.

All appear to be simple constructs, but somehow they hold the viewer's gaze.

"He had a way of finding a gesture that is compelling visually," Foe said. "The way he defines space just draws you in."

Tradition With Nontraditional

Born Milton Ernst Rauschenberg in Port Arthur, Texas, in 1925 - he changed his first name as an adult - Rauschenberg was in the vanguard of the pop art movement in the 1950s in New York City. He became known for pushing the limits of what was acceptable art in all media.

"He's thought of frequently as the person who connected the formal approach of European modernism with pop art," Foe said. "One of the things Bob is known for is pulling the everyday object out and relating that to the gesture of his vision."

An example of this approach can be found in his "Combines," in which he took traditional items and used them in nontraditional ways.

In the exhibit, there's a cello set in a washing tub ("Tibetan Garden Song") and a long bamboo pole with neon lights imbedded in it ("Bamhue"). They appear to be simple constructs, but somehow you can't stop looking at them.

Rauschenberg's sojourn in Tampa was at a time when Graphicstudio was getting off the ground.

"Bob's presence here was critical to launching the reputation of Graphicstudio nationally and internationally," said Margaret Miller, director of the Institute for Research Art at USF. "What that means is that artists of significance would then come here because Bob had worked with us so extensively for so many years."

In addition to giving the university several pieces of the art he made there, Rauschenberg also formed close relationships with a number of people at Graphicstudio, relationships that led to other enterprises, such as the Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange, a seven-year, 10-country tour that was administered from USF.

Those USF relationships are recognized in a display of photographs and memorabilia in a glass case in the lobby of the museum.

"Bob and Graphicstudio and what we did with him are all of what made Tampa recognized as a major center for the production and creation of contemporary art," Miller said. "Leading artists of his caliber come here because of that."

Also Appearing

Running simultaneously in a separate gallery at the Contemporary Art Museum is "In Dog Light," an exhibit of paintings and poetry by Tampa-based artist Roger Palmer.

"He's a well-kept campus secret," joked Alexa Favata, associate director of the Institute for Research Art.

Palmer, who has a master's degree in fine arts from USF, deftly mixes a lot of irony and sarcasm into his wash and ink paintings. The lighthearted surface images are often conduits for much heavier messages. In most cases, the title says it all, as in "Two Gentlemen Walk Their Cannon."

"He has a sardonic sense of humor," Favata said. "They can be read on many different levels. They're painterly and fun and on the surface may appear whimsical, and very visually accessible. But it's when you start reading the poetry with them that you get into another layer."

The decision to pair Palmer with Rauschenberg was accidental but seems to work well, Miller said.

"It's nice sometimes to have an artist the stature of Rauschenberg being shown with an artist like Palmer who has been working in isolation and isn't very well-known but is of high quality."

ART EXHIBIT

Rauschenberg: USF and In Dog Light

WHEN: Through Aug. 1; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Contemporary Art Museum at the University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. (CAM 101), Tampa

COST: Admission is free, but parking is $4. Permits are available at main entrance on Fowler Avenue and at museum parking lot.

INFORMATION (813) 974 4133; www.usfcam.usf.edu

Correspondent Esther Hammer can be reached at (813) 259-7662 or ehammer@tampatrib.com.

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