Bianca Jagger on Robert Rauschenberg The art that inspires me
I first met Robert Rauschenberg with Andy Warhol during the Seventies. As a human rights defender, I was fascinated and inspired by his work, especially his ROCI (Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange) series.
From 1984 to 1991, Rauschenberg travelled to countries that were victims of repressive governments, using his artwork to communicate with people who did not have access to the rest of the world and whose creativity had been suppressed. Drawing on the connections he made with artists, artisans and prominent figures, Rauschenberg amplified stories from countries such as China, Cuba and Chile. His aim was to prompt discussion and foster cross-cultural understanding through art.
I am a great believer in the power of artists to make a difference. Throughout history, artists have played an invaluable role in standing up for democratic principles, in defence of human rights, civil liberties and freedom of expression. They have recorded and denounced the abuses and horrors of their time.
During a visit to Tobago in 1984, Rauschenberg issued a statement to define the purpose of the project. He saw it as a way of "taking, making, and exchanging art and facts around the world". He used his artwork as a way of expressing his long-term commitment to human rights and to the freedom of artistic expression. "I feel strong in my beliefs, based on my varied and widely traveled collaborations, 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," he said. He was determined to bring attention to "sensitive areas", where there was no freedom of expression and there was little contact with democratic or capitalist countries.
ROCI exhibitions were held in 10 countries over the course of Rauschenberg's travels, including Mexico, Tibet, Japan, the USSR and Malaysia. A final exhibition was held in 1991 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. By this time, the project had generated more than 125 Rauschenberg artworks, and more than two million people around the world had seen a ROCI show. Rauschenberg and his team met countless challenges along the way – not only because the majority of these countries had oppressive governments, but also because the ROCI exhibition was often the first solo show by a contemporary Western artist. Organising the exhibition took a great deal of time and negotiation with foreign governments. The project was funded by Rauschenberg, who sold some of his most treasured artworks – including Dick Tracy (1963) by Andy Warhol and Alley Oop (1958) by Jasper Johns – to support the endeavour.
The ROCI project was showcased for the first time since 1991 at Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery in London this summer. I loved seeing the exhibition; it reminded me of how courageous and revolutionary his project was in its magnitude and impact.
