Synopses & Reviews
Robert Rauschenberg is one of the most important visual artists of the second half of the twentieth century. In Random Order, Branden Joseph examines Rauschenberg's work in the context of the American neo-avant-garde. One of the foundations of his study is Rauschenberg's professional relationship with experimental composer John Cage. From the moment of their encounter at Black Mountain College in 1952, Joseph argues, Rauschenberg and Cage initiated a new avant-garde project, one that approached the idea of difference not in terms of negation but as a positive force. Claiming that Rauschenberg's work cannot be understood solely from the standpoint of the Frankfurt School--whose theories have dominated discussions of avant-garde and neo-avant-garde aesthetics--Joseph turns to the theoretical positions of Gilles Deleuze and Jacques Derrida. Rauschenberg's neo-avant-garde was not a simple repetition of earlier avant-garde movements, Joseph shows, but a series of practices that opposed the rise of postwar spectacle, commodification, and mass conformity.
Beginning with the White Paintings, Joseph examines Rauschenberg?s artistic development from 1951 to 1971. He looks at the black paintings, Red Paintings, Elemental Paintings and Elemental Sculptures, Combines and Combine paintings, transfer drawings and silkscreens, performances, and explorations in art and technology. Joseph's study not only offers new interpretations of Rauschenberg's work, but also deepens our understanding of the entire neo-avant-garde project.
Review
Branden Joseph's strikingly original study of Robert Rauschenberg will also be influential as a remarkable cultural history of the intersection of art, media, and technology in the 1960s. Among the book's great merits are its stunning de-familiarization of a well known artist's work and its impressive reconsideration of the political stakes in the aesthetic practices of the period. The MIT Press
Review
"Clearly organized, lucidly presented, and carefully and resourcefully researched, Joseph's study provides a deft and trustworthy guide through Rauschenberg's early work. By focusing on how the paradigm of artistic production initiated by the artist in the 1950s and 1960s not only anticipated but also challenged the emergence of a postmodernist subjectivity, Joseph contributes powerfully and from a fresh perspective to our understanding of neo-dada. This book is likely to become the standard work on the subject for some time."--Alexander Alberro, School of Art & Art History, University of Florida
Review
andquot;Clearly organized, lucidly presented, and carefully and resourcefully researched, Joseph's study provides a deft and trustworthy guide through Rauschenberg's early work. By focusing on how the paradigm of artistic production initiated by the artist in the 1950s and 1960s not only anticipated but also challenged the emergence of a postmodernist subjectivity, Joseph contributes powerfully and from a fresh perspective to our understanding of neo-dada. This book is likely to become the standard work on the subject for some time.andquot;
andmdash;Alexander Alberro, School of Art and Art History, University of Florida
Review
...succeeds in highlighting an anarchic and gratuitously radical streak in Rauschenberg's early practice that is worth attending to, one that is neither a repeat of earlier avant-garde gesturings nor simply an accommodation to the values and commodifying mechanisms of postwar American consumer society. Ales Erjavec - Modernism/Modernity
Review
"Random Order is a very great achievement.... The force of its argument is broadly compelling, in large part by dint of the sheer wealth of detail and carefully nuanced attention brought to the minutiae of Rauschenberg's work."
— Gavin Butt, Oxford Art Journal
Review
Scrupulously documented and brilliantly argued, Random Order is the most extensive and probing understanding we have of the aesthetic, historical, and political stakes of Rauschenberg's neo-avant-garde artistic project. Like Rauschenberg's 'mole archaeologist,' Joseph unearths the network of artists and theorists that countersigned the artist's desire to enact, in each of his works, not only what it means to encounter a work of art but also how to use it as a weapon to transform our conception of art and the relations in which we live. In the process, he gives us a stunning analysis of the artistic process itself -- a process that, as he so beautifully demonstrates, always carries us -- with random but unrelenting force -- beyond ourselves. Alexander Alberro, School of Art & Art History, University of Florida
Review
The strongest passages deal with individual works in depth and with remarkable sensitivity to context. A chapter devoted to Rauschenberg's live performances is outstanding. Alex Potts - Art Bulletin
Review
"Branden W. Joseph has embarked upon the ambitious project of reconstructing the essential part of Robert Rauschenberg's oeuvre.... persuasively shown that Rauschenberg, together with [John] Cage, represents a specific and distinct instance of the American neo-avant-garde."
— Ales Erjavec, Modernism/Modernity"...succeeds in highlighting an anarchic and gratuitously radical streak in Rauschenberg's early practice that is worth attending to, one that is neither a repeat of earlier avant-garde gesturings nor simply an accommodation to the values and commodifying mechanisms of postwar American consumer society."
— Alex Potts, Art Bulletin"The strongest passages deal with individual works in depth and with remarkable sensitivity to context. A chapter devoted to Rauschenberg's live performances is outstanding."
— James Lawrence, Burlington Magazine"Random Order is a very great achievement.... The force of its argument is broadly compelling, in large part by dint of the sheer wealth of detail and carefully nuanced attention brought to the minutiae of Rauschenberg's work."
— Gavin Butt, Oxford Art Journal"Those interested in the interrelationship of various modern arts genres will find this book especially illuminating."
— Carol J. Binkowski, Library Journal"Scrupulously documented and brilliantly argued, Random Order is the most extensive and probing understanding we have of the aesthetic, historical, and political stakes of Rauschenberg's neo-avant-garde artistic project. Like Rauschenberg's 'mole archaeologist,' Joseph unearths the network of artists and theorists that countersigned the artist's desire to enact, in each of his works, not only what it means to encounter a work of art but also how to use it as a weapon to transform our conception of art and the relations in which we live. In the process, he gives us a stunning analysis of the artistic process itself—a process that, as he so beautifully demonstrates, always carries us—with random but unrelenting force—beyond ourselves."
—Eduardo Cadava, Princeton University, author of Words of Light: Theses on the Photography of History"Set against today's fast-paced, cut-and-paste art spectacles, Rauschenberg's collages, combines, art and technology experiments, and multimedia performances may seem old hat, a bunch of outmoded forms and tamed ideas. But through impeccable archival research and a detailed rereading of Rauschenberg's early works and the context of their emergence and immediate reception, Branden Joseph revivifies the radical spirit of the old. Random Order's recasting of the not yet canonical artist as a Deleuzian deconstructionist and an inheritor of Artaud's theater of cruelty is bound to be controversial among not only Rauschenberg scholars but also historians of the postwar neo-avant-garde. All the better to encourage a reimagining of the present."
—Miwon Kwon, Department of Art History, University of California, Los Angeles"Clearly organized, lucidly presented, and carefully and resourcefully researched, Joseph's study provides a deft and trustworthy guide through Rauschenberg's early work. By focusing on how the paradigm of artistic production initiated by the artist in the 1950s and 1960s not only anticipated but also challenged the emergence of a postmodernist subjectivity, Joseph contributes powerfully and from a fresh perspective to our understanding of neo-dada. This book is likely to become the standard work on the subject for some time."
—Alexander Alberro, School of Art &Art History, University of Florida"Branden Joseph's strikingly original study of Robert Rauschenberg will also be influential as a remarkable cultural history of the intersection of art, media, and technology in the 1960s. Among the book's great merits are its stunning de-familiarization of a well known artist's work and its impressive reconsideration of the political stakes in the aesthetic practices of the period."
—Jonathan Crary, Columbia University
Review
The short and highly accessible texts featured in this anthology touch on most of the major philosophical preoccupations of Debord and the Situationists. Ranging from movements like Surrealism and the Bauhaus to figures like Lucien Goldmann and Jean-Luc Godard, they reveal what a dialectical analysis of culture in the mid-twentieth century could yield. The more recent contributions to the volume provocatively engage crucial elements of the Situationist legacy and reflect knowledgeably, and in some instances passionately, upon them. An impressive editor, McDonough expertly and even-handedly navigates the polemical reefs of the Situationist history and legacy. Library Journal
Review
Reynolds has revitalized not only an important and little-researched moment in Smithson's career, but also -- and perhaps more significantly -- a crucial event in the history of art practice in the U.S. and beyond. Alexander Alberro, School of Art & Art History, University of Florida
Review
Branden W. Joseph has embarked upon the ambitious project of reconstructing the essential part of Robert Rauschenberg's oeuvre...persuasively shown that Rauschenberg, together with [John] Cage, represents a specific and distinct instance of the American neo-avant-garde. Miwon Kwon, Department of Art History, University of California, Los Angeles
Review
Those interested in the interrelationship of various modern arts genres will find this book especially illuminating. James Lawrence - Burlington Magazine
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Branden Joseph's strikingly original study of Robert Rauschenberg will also be influential as a remarkable cultural history of the intersection of art, media, and technology in the 1960s. Among the book's great merits are its stunning de-familiarization of a well known artist's work and its impressive reconsideration of the political stakes in the aesthetic practices of the period." Jonathan Crary, Columbia Universityandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Branden W. Joseph has embarked upon the ambitious project of reconstructing the essential part of Robert Rauschenberg's oeuvre.... persuasively shown that Rauschenberg, together with [John] Cage, represents a specific and distinct instance of the American neo-avant-garde." andlt;Bandgt;Ales Erjavec andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Modernism/Modernityandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Scrupulously documented and brilliantly argued, andlt;Iandgt;Random Orderandlt;/Iandgt; is the most extensive and probing understanding we have of the aesthetic, historical, and political stakes of Rauschenberg's neo-avant-garde artistic project. Like Rauschenberg's 'mole archaeologist,' Joseph unearths the network of artists and theorists that countersigned the artist's desire to enact, in each of his works, not only what it means to encounter a work of art but also how to use it as a weapon to transform our conception of art and the relations in which we live. In the process, he gives us a stunning analysis of the artistic process itselfand#38;mdash;a process that, as he so beautifully demonstrates, always carries usand#38;mdash;with random but unrelenting forceand#38;mdash;beyond ourselves." andlt;Bandgt;Eduardo Cadava andlt;/Bandgt;, Princeton University, author of Words of Light: Theses on the Photography of Historyandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"...succeeds in highlighting an anarchic and gratuitously radical streak in Rauschenberg's early practice that is worth attending to, one that is neither a repeat of earlier avant-garde gesturings nor simply an accommodation to the values and commodifying mechanisms of postwar American consumer society." andlt;Bandgt;Alex Potts andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Art Bulletinandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"The strongest passages deal with individual works in depth and with remarkable sensitivity to context. A chapter devoted to Rauschenberg's live performances is outstanding." andlt;Bandgt;James Lawrence andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Burlington Magazineandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Those interested in the interrelationship of various modern arts genres will find this book especially illuminating." andlt;Bandgt;Carol J. Binkowski andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Library Journalandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"The short and highly accessible texts featured in this anthology touch on most of the major philosophical preoccupations of Debord and the Situationists. Ranging from movements like Surrealism and the Bauhaus to figures like Lucien Goldmann and Jean-Luc Godard, they reveal what a dialectical analysis of culture in the mid-twentieth century could yield. The more recent contributions to the volume provocatively engage crucial elements of the Situationist legacy and reflect knowledgeably, and in some instances passionately, upon them. An impressive editor, McDonough expertly and even-handedly navigates the polemical reefs of the Situationist history and legacy."--Alexander Alberro, School of Art and#38; Art History, University of Floridaandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Reynolds has revitalized not only an important and little-researched moment in Smithson's career, but also -- and perhaps more significantly -- a crucial event in the history of art practice in the U.S. and beyond."--Alexander Alberro, School of Art and#38; Art History, University of FloridaPlease note: Slight change to author's title.andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
Those interested in the interrelationship of various modern arts genres will find this book especially illuminating. < b=""> James Lawrence <> - - < -="" i="" -=""> - Burlington Magazine - < -="" -="">
Review
Set against today's fast-paced, cut-and-paste art spectacles, Rauschenberg's collages, combines, art and technology experiments, and multimedia performances may seem old hat, a bunch of outmoded forms and tamed ideas. But through impeccable archival research and a detailed rereading of Rauschenberg's early works and the context of their emergence and immediate reception, Branden Joseph revivifies the radical spirit of the old. Random Order's recasting of the not yet canonical artist as a Deleuzian deconstructionist and an inheritor of Artaud's theater of cruelty is bound to be controversial among not only Rauschenberg scholars but also historians of the postwar neo-avant-garde. All the better to encourage a reimagining of the present. Jonathan Crary, Columbia University
Synopsis
An examination of the artistic development of Robert Rauschenberg, focusing on his relationship with John Cage and his role in the making of the American neo-avant-garde.
Robert Rauschenberg is one of the most important visual artists of the second half of the twentieth century. In Random Order, Branden Joseph examines Rauschenberg's work in the context of the American neo-avant-garde. One of the foundations of his study is Rauschenberg's professional relationship with experimental composer John Cage. From the moment of their encounter at Black Mountain College in 1952, Joseph argues, Rauschenberg and Cage initiated a new avant-garde project, one that approached the idea of difference not in terms of negation but as a positive force. Claiming that Rauschenberg's work cannot be understood solely from the standpoint of the Frankfurt School -- whose theories have dominated discussions of avant-garde and neo-avant-garde aesthetics -- Joseph turns to the theoretical positions of Gilles Deleuze and Jacques Derrida. Rauschenberg's neo-avant-garde was not a simple repetition of earlier avant-garde movements, Joseph shows, but a series of practices that opposed the rise of postwar spectacle, commodification, and mass conformity.
Beginning with the White Paintings, Joseph examines Rauschenberg's artistic development from 1951 to 1971. He looks at the black paintings, Red Paintings, Elemental Paintings and Elemental Sculptures, Combines and Combine paintings, transfer drawings and silkscreens, performances, and explorations in art and technology. Joseph's study not only offers new interpretations of Rauschenberg's work, but also deepens our understanding of the entire neo-avant-garde project.
Synopsis
Robert Rauschenberg is one of the most important visual artists of the second half of the twentieth century. In
Random Order, Branden Joseph examines Rauschenberg's work in the context of the American neo-avant-garde. One of the foundations of his study is Rauschenberg's professional relationship with experimental composer John Cage. From the moment of their encounter at Black Mountain College in 1952, Joseph argues, Rauschenberg and Cage initiated a new avant-garde project, one that approached the idea of difference not in terms of negation but as a positive force. Claiming that Rauschenberg's work cannot be understood solely from the standpoint of the Frankfurt School -- whose theories have dominated discussions of avant-garde and neo-avant-garde aesthetics -- Joseph turns to the theoretical positions of Gilles Deleuze and Jacques Derrida. Rauschenberg's neo-avant-garde was not a simple repetition of earlier avant-garde movements, Joseph shows, but a series of practices that opposed the rise of postwar spectacle, commodification, and mass conformity.
Beginning with the White Paintings, Joseph examines Rauschenberg's artistic development from 1951 to 1971. He looks at the black paintings, Red Paintings, Elemental Paintings and Elemental Sculptures, Combines and Combine paintings, transfer drawings and silkscreens, performances, and explorations in art and technology. Joseph's study not only offers new interpretations of Rauschenberg's work, but also deepens our understanding of the entire neo-avant-garde project.
Synopsis
Robert Rauschenberg is one of the most important visual artists of the second half of the twentieth century. In
Synopsis
An examination of the artistic development of Robert Rauschenberg, focusing on his relationship with John Cage and his role in the making of the American neo-avant-garde.
Synopsis
andlt;Pandgt;Robert Rauschenberg is one of the most important visual artists of the second half of the twentieth century. In Random Order, Branden Joseph examines Rauschenberg's work in the context of the American neo-avant-garde. One of the foundations of his study is Rauschenberg's professional relationship with experimental composer John Cage. From the moment of their encounter at Black Mountain College in 1952, Joseph argues, Rauschenberg and Cage initiated a new avant-garde project, one that approached the idea of difference not in terms of negation but as a positive force. Claiming that Rauschenberg's work cannot be understood solely from the standpoint of the Frankfurt School--whose theories have dominated discussions of avant-garde and neo-avant-garde aesthetics--Joseph turns to the theoretical positions of Gilles Deleuze and Jacques Derrida. Rauschenberg's neo-avant-garde was not a simple repetition of earlier avant-garde movements, Joseph shows, but a series of practices that opposed the rise of postwar spectacle, commodification, and mass conformity.Beginning with the White Paintings, Joseph examines Rauschenberg?s artistic development from 1951 to 1971. He looks at the black paintings, Red Paintings, Elemental Paintings and Elemental Sculptures, Combines and Combine paintings, transfer drawings and silkscreens, performances, and explorations in art and technology. Joseph?s study not only offers new interpretations of Rauschenberg?s work, but also deepens our understanding of the entire neo-avant-garde project.andlt;/Pandgt;
About the Author
Branden W. Joseph is Frank Gallipoli Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art in the Department of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University and an editor of the journal Grey Room (MIT Press).