Robert RauschenbergAmerican, 1925–2008Opal Gospel
May one see it?
Not receiving at present
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Minneapolis, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
Opal Gospel is among Rauschenberg's best known multiples, a three-dimensional book consisting of Native American stories, songs, poems and found imagery printed on a series of transparent acrylic pages which rest in a Lucite base. Rauschenberg's design encouraged the viewer to remove and read the various pages and re-arrange them in novel combinations, thus altering the object's appearance and meaning. For him, the work's evocative power was magnified by incorporating the idea of chance, which in this case is provided by the viewer's active participation.
Read on
Reflecting on the work's content and meaning, Rauschenberg noted that Spiritually and factually, [Native American] drawings improved the hunt and chronicled their history both generally and personally so that it could be understood by other tribes and other generations. It could be read or felt at one instant. [Art] should be a form of therapy.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Particulars
- Accession number
- P.76.2
In the catalog
Sources
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Image: Minneapolis Institute of Art — Robert Rauschenberg, Opal Gospel, 1971-1972 © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Meanwhile, in the life of Robert Rauschenberg
The whole life1969
Watches the Apollo 11 launch at NASA's invitation
NASA invited Rauschenberg to witness the launch of Apollo 11. In response he created his “Stoned Moon” series of lithographs, combining diagrams and images from NASA's archives with his own drawings and handwritten text.
autumn 1970
Moves to Captiva for good
From the autumn of 1970 the Captiva house became Rauschenberg's permanent home and studio. The first works made there were the “Cardboards” (1971–72) and “Early Egyptians” (1973–74) series, from locally sourced cardboard and sand: instead of urban imagery he now favoured the natural fibres of fabric and paper.
1970
Sets up Change, Inc. to help artists
Rauschenberg created Change, Inc., a programme awarding one-time emergency grants of up to $1,000 to visual artists in financial need.
1970
Helps create the Pepsi Pavilion at Expo '70 in Osaka
Rauschenberg took part in creating the Pepsi Pavilion for the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka; the opening was directed by the choreographer and artist Remy Charlip.
1973
The Scull auction and the fight for artists' royalties
In 1973 the taxi baron Robert Scull sold Rauschenberg's paintings “Thaw” and “Double Feature”, bought for $900 and $2,500, for $85,000 and $90,000 at Sotheby Parke Bernet. The artist took up the fight for resale royalties for artists (droit de suite), lobbying the US Congress for a law.
