Robert Rauschenberg: Fabric Works of the 1970s
Sep 19, 2025 – Mar 1, 2026
Main Building
Robert Rauschenberg, Sant’Agnese (Venetian), 1973. Mosquito net, wood chairs, shoelaces, and corked glass jugs, 32 ¼ × 105 ¾ × 22 1/8 in. (81.9 × 268.6 × 56.2 cm). Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz
Robert Rauschenberg, Glacier (Hoarfrost), 1974. Solvent transfer on silk and synthetic fabric and pillow, 120 × 74 × 5 7/8 in. (304.8 × 188 × 14.9 cm). The Menil Collection, Houston. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Caroline Philippone
Robert Rauschenberg, Mirage (Jammer), 1975. Sewn fabric, 82 ½ × 70 1/8 in. (209.6 × 178.1 cm). Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Photo: Ron Amstutz
On the occasion of the one hundredth birthday of American artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008), the Menil Collection presents an exhibition that looks at the artist’s expressive and conceptual use of fabric as a sculptural medium. Robert Rauschenberg: Fabric Works of the 1970s focuses on two specific series from the mid-1970s that present his use of cloth: Jammers, 1975–76 and Hoarfrosts, 1974–76. It also explores how Rauschenberg’s attention to textiles relates to his career-long interest in the intersection of art with choreography, theater, and the body.
This exhibition is curated by Michelle White, Senior Curator, The Menil Collection. A fully illustrated catalogue will accompany the exhibition.
