Statement:

I'm not frightened of the affection that Jasper and I had, both personally and as working artists. I don't see any sin or conflict in those days when each of us was the most important person in the other's life.*

Biography:

Artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008) imagined himself first as a minister and later as a pharmacist. It wasn't until 1947, while in the U.S. Marines that Rauschenberg discovered his aptitude for drawing and his interest in the artistic representation of everyday objects and people. After leaving the Marines he studied art in Paris on the G.I. Bill, but quickly became disenchanted with the European art scene. Soon, Rauchenberg left for New York to make it as a painter. In the big city, Rauschenberg realized the full extent of his powers and moved painting to the next level and even as sculpture. Originally appeared in Interview magazine, December 1990. Photography Irving Penn.