Rauschenberg The After Party — 2.2.12
The Grand Rapids Art Museum previewed their newest exhibit on Thursday night. The evening began with a member-only event that was followed by Rauschenberg: The After Party. This was not your typical art preview party. For the first time in its 102 year history, the art museum was transformed into a nightclub for an event that was open to both members and non-members alike. The typically reserved atmosphere of the museum was replaced with lively chatter and music from DJs The Boogiman and Mr. Fables, which created the perfect environment for viewing this fantastic collection of pieces by Robert Rauschenberg.
Officially opening on Friday, Rauschenberg In Context and Rauschenberg At Gemini are two of three very distinct exhibitions by Robert Rauschenberg, recognized by many as one of the most important American artists of the 20th century. The many pieces that make up each of these collections chronicle contemporary life with a focus on the American experience and the themes of cities, technology, multiculturalism, and the environment. Rauschenberg used materials that can be found in the everyday and combined them with paint, sculpture, drafting, photography, performance art, choreography, theater design, and print making. His works are a commentary on social, political, and cultural events in history, and each one causes the viewer to take pause and examine the details carefully.
On March 3 the third exhibit by Rauschenberg, Synapsis Shuffle, will open at the GRAM, and Grand Rapids will be only the third city worldwide to host this extraordinary work. The only other two cities to have had this opportunity are Paris and New York. Synapsis Shuffle is the first of a three-exhibition collaboration with the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
Be sure and take some time to visit the GRAM to experience Rauschenberg for yourself. It will be here in Grand Rapids through May 20, 2012. Check out their site for more information: http://www.artmuseumgr.org/
Contributing writer: Danielle DeWitt :: Photography: Tim Motley
