Robert Rauschenberg Wall Pond / ROCI MEXICO, 1985

I feel strong in my beliefs [...] that a one-to-one contact through art contains potent peaceful powers and is the most non-elitist way to share exotic and common information, seducing us into creative mutual understandings for the benefit of all.

— Robert Rauschenberg, 1984

Between 1985 and 1990, Robert Rauschenberg travelled to 10 countries around the world as part of his ROCI (Rauschenberg Overseas Cultural Interchange) project, aimed at sparking dialogue and achieving mutual understanding through the arts. Created in the first country he visited, Wall Pond / ROCI MEXICO (1985) is a prime example of the artist’s unwavering creative energy. The work incorporates silkscreened images of the his own photographs, taken during a research trip, with found fabrics and vibrant colours that together symbolise everyday life in Mexico. Other works from the ROCI MEXICO series are in prominent international collections, including the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Minneapolis Institute of Arts; and Fundación Televisa, Mexico City.

Rauschenberg’s Japanese Clayworks are currently on view at Thaddaeus Ropac, Salzburg, until 9 July 2022.