The Ascent of Rauschenberg: Reinventing the Art of Flight

By Carolyn Russo

Take flight with postmodern artist Robert Rauschenberg in this tribute to his space and aviation art, featuring art history and 100+ fascinating images

Most famous for his groundbreaking "Combines"--painting and sculpture hybrids that often incorporated everyday objects--American artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008) created within a range of mediums, including collage, performance, photography, and printmaking. But a connective tissue through it all was his fascination with flight. The Ascent of Rauschenberg explores the flight motif across his work, spanning birds, insects, aviation, spaceflight, sensory experiences, and metaphors for his own life.

More than 100 images reveal the vibrant scope of his work, from lithographs inspired by the Apollo 11 launch that NASA invited him to witness and document, to a Combine featuring a taxidermied eagle that evokes Roman mythology. Nine accompanying essays reflect on his many flight themes and subtleties that might otherwise be overlooked.

Considered a forerunner of several artistic movements, most notably pop art, Rauschenberg was one of the most influential artists of his time. This gorgeous volume engages with his work at an intimate level and through a distinctive lens, revealing an artist deeply mesmerized by the innovation of flight within nature, technology, and art. By observing Rauschenberg's work through the prism of flight, The Ascent of Rauschenberg refracts to reveal the depth and dazzle of an unparalleled career.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1588347990
• ISBN13: 9781588347992
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Smithsonian Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.