Robert Rauschenberg%2C Opal Gospel%2C 1971-1972 %C2%A9 Robert Rauschenberg Foundation
Opal Gospel, 1971
Color screenprints on ten acrylic panels in Lucite base, stainless steel coverexpand_more
The Martha T. Wallace Fundexpand_more P.76.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
Opal Gospel is among Rauschenberg's best known multiples, a three-dimensional "book" consisting of Native American stories, songs, poems and found imagery printed on a series of transparent acrylic pages which rest in a Lucite base. Rauschenberg's design encouraged the viewer to remove and read the various pages and re-arrange them in novel combinations, thus altering the object's appearance and meaning. For him, the work's evocative power was magnified by incorporating the idea of chance, which in this case is provided by the viewer's active participation.
Reflecting on the work's content and meaning, Rauschenberg noted that "Spiritually and factually, [Native American] drawings improved the hunt and chronicled their history both generally and personally so that it could be understood by other tribes and other generations. It could be read or felt at one instant. [Art] should be a form of therapy."
Details
- Title
- Opal Gospel
- Artist Life
- 1925–2008
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.76.2
- Provenance
- Styria Studio, New York (workshop); Steven M. Andersen, Minneapolis; sold to MIA, 1976.
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.
Robert Rauschenberg, Opal Gospel, 1971-1972 © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation