Documentary revisits Rauschenberg's controversial 1964 Venice Biennale win

A new documentary, 'Americans in Venice: Robert Rauschenberg Rewrites the Rules,' directed by Amei Wallach, reopens the case of Robert Rauschenberg's contested victory at the 1964 Venice Biennale. The film, set for release in March 2018, uses interviews, archival footage, and images to reconstruct the events surrounding Rauschenberg's Golden Lion award. The 1964 Biennale was marked by controversy: Rauschenberg presented only four works at the US pavilion, considered too few for the prize, and additional works were later added from a concurrent exhibition at the US Consulate in Venice. Conspiracy theories emerged, suggesting CIA or State Department involvement, or the last-minute addition of an American to the jury. The documentary features interviews with Christo, Mark Bradford, Shirin Neshat, Marina Abramović, and Biennale director Christine Macel. The victory signaled the international recognition of American Pop Art.