Why is the Surface From Currents Important?

Robert Rauschenberg's Surface From Currents is crucial within his body of work for its exploration of the relationship between art and the mass media. This series is particularly significant as it exemplifies Rauschenberg's innovative use of screen printing to challenge traditional notions of art, incorporating actual newspaper articles into his compositions to blur the lines between art and reality.

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How can I sell my Surface From Currents print?

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Surface From Currents by Robert Rauschenberg Background & Meaning

Surface
From Currents

Robert Rauschenberg's Surface From Currents, created in 1970, is an impactful series of screenprints that echo the pervasive media culture and societal tensions of its era. These artworks, marked by their large scale and the use of newsprint as a primary medium, demonstrate Rauschenberg's continued interest in blending current events with high art, showcasing his innovative approach to printmaking.

Meaning & Analysis

Robert Rauschenberg’s Surface From Currents is a vivid representation of the social and political climate of the early 1970s, using the medium of screen printing to incorporate elements of contemporary newspaper articles directly into the fabric of his art. This series is characterised by its bold, graphic aesthetic, which layers text and imagery to create complex visual narratives that reflect the chaos and complexity of the world news.

Each piece within the series is a large-scale print that combines clippings from daily newspapers, arranged in a seemingly haphazard manner but carefully composed to create a dialogue between the elements. This method allows Rauschenberg to capture a snapshot of global events, highlighting themes such as political unrest, cultural shifts, and technological advances. The use of newspapers not only serves as a commentary on the temporality and ephemerality of news but also critiques the overwhelming nature of media saturation in modern society.

The Surface From Currents stands out in Rauschenberg's work for its raw, unfiltered engagement with the public discourse, pushing the boundaries of what constitutes art material and how art interacts with everyday life. This series not only demonstrates his technical skill with screen printing but also his ability to transform everyday materials into profound artistic statements.

Robert Rauschenberg's Surface From Currents is crucial within his body of work for its exploration of the relationship between art and the mass media. This series is particularly significant as it exemplifies Rauschenberg's innovative use of screen printing to challenge traditional notions of art, incorporating actual newspaper articles into his compositions to blur the lines between art and reality.
The series not only reflects Rauschenberg's mastery of combining various media but also highlights his engagement with contemporary issues, making it a powerful example of art as a form of social commentary. Through the Surface From Currents, Rauschenberg addresses the influence of media on public perception and individual consciousness, offering a critical look at how information is consumed and understood.
Furthermore, this series marks an important moment in the history of printmaking, showcasing how the medium can be expanded in scale and scope to address complex societal themes. Rauschenberg's approach to creating these works, utilising the immediacy and impact of printed news, allows him to capture the frenetic pace of modern life, making Surface From Currents a landmark series in the context of 20th-century art. Through this work, Rauschenberg continues to inspire contemporary artists to consider the role of art in reflecting and shaping the human experience.
If you're looking to sell art by Robert Rauschenberg, click the link and we can help. We employ a number of techniques and practices in order to give a realistic and achievable valuation on any art listed on myartbroker.com. We analyse the demand for the work in question, take into consideration previous sales and auction valuations, we assess the current gallery valuation and monitor the current deals taking place via MyArtBroker every day. We regularly advise sellers on a price bracket for their artwork completely free of charge.