This week Robert Rauschenberg — one of the titans of 20th century American art — died in his Florida home. He was 82 and still working. In 2006, a major exhibit of his “combines” — his hybrid painting/sculpture combinations, which presaged Pop Art during the ascendancy of Abstract Expressionism — was mounted at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, and the beautiful book that was produced to accompany the exhibition is the definitive survey of the pivotal decade (1954-1964) in Rauschenberg’s remarkable 50-year career. In Robert Rauchenberg: Combines LA MOCA Chief Curator and California author Paul Schimmel writes about the combines from the perspective of his own extensive conversations with the artist, offering iconographic analysis of the works as well as a discussion of their political, social, autobiographical aspects. The book covers 174 works with full color photographs and is a great way to get to know Rauschenberg and to understand his importance in American art.

LA MOCA has some of its 11 permanent collection works by Rauschenberg on display through May 19 as part of its Collecting Collections exhibit. And it offers two nice discussions of the combines on its website: one in which Paul Schimmel “offers thought-provoking and personal insights into the various meanings behind several works from the exhibition” [link (35 mins)] and another in which Rauschenberg researcher Mary Beth Costello discusses wordplay in the combines [link (28 mins)].

Other good Rauschenberg reading from this week: Christopher Knight in the Los Angeles Times, Michael Kimmelman in the New York Times. Both pieces have nice photo galleries. Also, the LAT has a touching piece in which Angelenos who worked with Rauchenberg remember the artist.