Rauschenberg's Erased de Kooning: A Celebration, Not Negation
Robert Rauschenberg's 1953 act of erasing a drawing by Willem de Kooning is often misinterpreted as a rejection of Abstract Expressionism. In a video document, Rauschenberg explains his intent was to create a "white" drawing consistent with his White Paintings series. After failing to achieve this by erasing his own work, he realized the material must already be art to gain a "second life" through erasure. De Kooning agreed to donate a drawing, warning Rauschenberg it would be difficult to erase due to dense layers of pencil, wax, and charcoal. The erasure took Rauschenberg a month using numerous erasers. He describes the result not as a negation but as a "celebration."
Key facts
- Robert Rauschenberg erased a drawing by Willem de Kooning in 1953.
- The act is often seen as a protest against Abstract Expressionism.
- Rauschenberg wanted to produce a white drawing for his White Paintings series.
- He first tried erasing his own drawing but found it insufficient.
- De Kooning donated a drawing, saying it would be hard to erase.
- The drawing contained pencil, wax, and charcoal marks.
- Rauschenberg spent a month erasing it with many erasers.
- Rauschenberg called the work a celebration, not a negation.
Entities
Artists
- Robert Rauschenberg
- Willem de Kooning
- Valentina Tanni
Institutions
- Artribune
- Politecnico di Milano
- NABA