A&A

ISSUE 10/29

A RAUSCHENBERG “THANK YOU” – cbs/dg/10-14

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. – The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) announced that artist Robert Rauschenberg has honored lifetime SFMOMA Trustee Phyllis Wattis by giving the museum “Hiccups,” 1978, a significant work from his personal collection. In addition, continued support from Wattis has enabled the museum to acquire Eva Hesse’s “Sans II,” 1968, and Brice Marden’s “Cold Mountain 6 (Bridge),” 1989-91.

“Robert Rauschenberg couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate way to honor Phyllis Wattis, who made it possible for the museum to acquire 14 pieces from his private collection last year,” notes SFMOMA director David A. Ross. “Thanks to Phyllis and our other devoted supporters, SFMOMA has been able to build areas of great depth in its holdings of work by a number of important artists … including, now, Eva Hesse and Brice Marden, who will increasingly be regarded as key artists of their generations.”

Consisting of 97 linked transfer drawings on sheets of handmade paper, Rauschenberg’s monumental work “Hiccups” incisively explores issues of scale and seriality. Bearing images that include the artist’s trademark bicycles, tires and athletes, the panels fasten together with common metal zippers in an infinite number of combinations; when fully assembled, the work extends to nearly 63 feet in length. Rauschenberg had kept “Hiccups” in his own collection since it execution in 1978, but recent interest in the work propelled his decision to make the gift.

Explains Robert Rauschenberg, “Within the urgency of a museum purchase of ‘Hiccups,’ I turned my sweet thoughts to Phyllis Wattis, both priceless. My decision to present this artwork to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in her name is not a question, but a fact” … “Thank you, Phyllis.” The gift joins 16 Rauschenbergs already in SFMOMA’s permanent collection, including “Erased de Kooning Drawing,” 1953 – one of the touchstones of postwar American art – and 13 other paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures and combines that the museum acquired from the artist in June 1998.