Robert RauschenbergAmerican, 1925–2008Traces suspectes en surface (Things are Not What They Seem)
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Traces suspectes en surface (Things are Not What They Seem)” now? Collection: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis. Not on view at present. Checked October 12, 2026.
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
Traces suspectes en surface is the result of a six-year collaboration between Rauschenberg and French novelist, poet, and filmmaker Alain Robbe-Grillet (1922-2008). In this celebrated artist's book, Robbe-Grillet's unconventional, but captivating mystery story, written in his own hand on lithographic plates, is accompanied by 25 original lithographic collages of photographic imagery provided by Rauschenberg. Robbe-Grillet practiced the nouveau roman (new novel) approach to writing, which emphasized experimentation and breaking with the conventions of classic literary genres.
Read on
In commenting on collaborations with artists, and the relationship between words and images, Robbe-Grillet noted that, My novels are never 'about' anything, nor are they about ideas of images. The author's enigmatic pronouncement suggests that this artist's book represents something less than a true collaboration, and more of Rauschenberg's subjective response to Robbe-Grillet's intentionally ambiguous text.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Details
- Accession number
- B.89.10
In the catalog
Sources
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Image: Minneapolis Institute of Art — Robert Rauschenberg, Traces suspectes en surface (Things are Not What They Seem), 1972-1978 © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
In the life of Robert Rauschenberg
The whole lifeautumn 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.
1976
California passes the artists' resale royalty law
Rauschenberg's lobbying was rewarded when the California governor Jerry Brown signed the California Resale Royalty Act of 1976. The artist went on to press for nationwide resale-royalty legislation.
1976–1978
Retrospective in Washington and a US tour
A mid-career retrospective was organised by the National Collection of Fine Arts (now the Smithsonian American Art Museum) in Washington and toured the United States in 1976–1978. Other accounts date its opening to 1977; the artist showed his best-known works there.
