Marcus Chen
Combine painting, or simply Combine, is an art form that merges painting and sculpture. The term is closely associated with American artist Robert Rauschenberg, who coined the phrase to describe his works that explore the boundary between art and the everyday world. Rauschenberg's Combines, such as Bed (1955) and Canyon (1959), often feature three-dimensional objects like clothing or furniture affixed to the canvas, alongside photographs and other printed matter. This style of art challenges the doctrine of medium specificity and has been described as neither painting nor sculpture. Other artists, such as Jasper Johns and Frank Stella, have also explored similar techniques in their own practices, incorporating a range of surfaces, materials, and found objects into their creations.
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What You'll Learn
The relationship between art and the everyday world
Combine painting, or simply Combine, is an art form that merges painting and sculpture. The term is closely associated with the work of American artist Robert Rauschenberg, who coined the term to describe his unique artworks that explore the boundary between art and the everyday world. By incorporating three-dimensional everyday objects, clothing, furniture, and printed matter such as photographs or newspaper clippings into his paintings, Rauschenberg challenged the traditional notion of art and invited viewers to question their understanding of what constitutes a work of art.
Rauschenberg's Combines have been described as "revolutionary" and "poetic," blurring the lines between painting and sculpture and challenging the doctrine of medium specificity set forth by modernist art critic Clement Greenberg. The artist himself believed that neither art nor life can be manufactured, and this philosophy guided his artistic process, which often involved a collaboration with materials rather than conscious manipulation. This approach allowed Rauschenberg to create artworks that exist in multiple dimensions, breaking free from the traditional singular canvas hung on a wall and inviting viewers to engage with art in a more accessible and immersive way.
One of Rauschenberg's most renowned Combines, titled "Canyon," has been the subject of art-historical debate. Art historian Kenneth Bendiner interpreted the suspended pillow in "Canyon" as a playful recreation of Ganymede's buttocks from a 1635 Rembrandt painting, "The Rape of Ganymede." Other art historians, such as Branden Joseph, argue that searching for iconography in Rauschenberg's Combines is futile due to the infinite permutations of meaning that can be attributed to the work, highlighting the subjective nature of art reception in postmodernism.
The influence of Rauschenberg's Combines can be seen in the work of other artists, such as Jasper Johns, who was both a romantic and artistic partner of Rauschenberg. In his painting "Fool's House" (1964), Johns affixed a broom to the canvas, a possible inspiration drawn from Rauschenberg's Combines. Additionally, American artist Frank Stella created paintings in the late 1950s that recalled Rauschenberg's Combines, where he juxtaposed various surfaces and materials, eventually leading to his 21st-century sculptures.
The concept of merging media and exploring the relationship between art and the everyday world is not limited to Combine paintings. Artists have been combining different media, such as drawing, painting, photography, found objects, texture tools, collage materials, and digital art, to create mixed media artworks that challenge traditional art forms and offer new ways of expression. This exploration of mixed media allows artists to experiment with a vast array of materials and techniques, pushing the boundaries of what is considered art and inviting viewers to embrace multiple perspectives and interpretations.
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Exploring multiple planes
A combine painting, also known as a Combine, is an artwork that incorporates elements of both painting and sculpture. The term is most closely associated with the work of American artist Robert Rauschenberg, who coined the phrase to describe his unique style that explores the boundary between art and the everyday world. By placing ordinary objects in the context of art, Rauschenberg's Combines challenge the doctrine of medium specificity mentioned by modernist art critic Clement Greenberg.
Rauschenberg's Combines often included three-dimensional everyday objects, such as clothing or furniture, as well as printed matter like photographs or newspaper clippings. One of his most well-known works, Canyon, has been the subject of art-historical debate. The historian Kenneth Bendiner interpreted the suspended pillow in Canyon as a reference to Ganymede's buttocks from a 1635 Rembrandt painting, The Rape of Ganymede. Other art historians, like Branden Joseph, argue that searching for iconography in Rauschenberg's Combines is futile due to the infinite permutations of meaning that can result, highlighting the subjectivity of art reception in postmodernism.
The reception of Rauschenberg's Combines has been varied, with some critics praising their revolutionary nature and others describing them as "ramshackle hybrids." Artist Xaviera Simmons points out that critics often overlook Rauschenberg's own influences, such as African American artists working with found objects in the Southern United States. Rauschenberg himself acknowledged the influence of his predecessor Marcel Duchamp, whose work during the McCarthy Period reflected a similar attitude of alienation and indifference.
In addition to Rauschenberg, other artists have also explored the combination of painting and sculpture in their practices. For example, Jasper Johns, who had a close artistic and romantic relationship with Rauschenberg, affixed a broom onto one of his canvases, titled Fool's House (1964). American artist Frank Stella created paintings in the late 1950s that recalled Rauschenberg's Combines, juxtaposing various surfaces and materials, eventually leading to his own forays into sculpture in the 21st century.
The exploration of multiple planes in art is not limited to the combination of painting and sculpture. Mixed media art, which combines different media or materials, has grown in popularity, with artists utilising a wide range of techniques and materials. For instance, artists may combine drawing and painting with photography, found objects, texture tools, collage materials, and even digital art. By layering and incorporating texture, artists can create visual interest and depth in their mixed media projects.
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Mixed media sculpture
One example of a mixed media sculpture is "Expansion" by Paige Bradley, which combines bronze and electricity. Another well-known artist who has worked with mixed media sculptures is Robert Rauschenberg, who created "Combines"—artworks that incorporate elements of both painting and sculpture. Rauschenberg's "Combines" often included three-dimensional everyday objects, such as clothing or furniture, as well as printed matter like photographs or newspaper clippings. He challenged the traditional boundaries of art by endowing ordinary objects with new significance when placed in an artistic context.
Other notable artists who have created mixed media sculptures include Wangechi Mutu, who specializes in combining painting, film, and sculpture; Nari Ward, who uses found materials from his neighbourhood; and Mickalene Thomas, who incorporates paint, rhinestones, enamel, and other materials into her sculptures.
The use of mixed media in sculptures allows artists to explore a range of dimensions and expand beyond the confines of a traditional canvas or wall. By incorporating different media, artists can create multiple meanings and offer viewers diverse experiences, merging sculpture, installation, and other art forms into a single expression. This approach to art encourages experimentation and provides artists with an outlet to express themselves in unique and innovative ways.
In conclusion, mixed media sculptures offer artists the opportunity to break free from the constraints of traditional art forms and embrace a wide range of materials and techniques. By combining different media, artists can create thought-provoking and visually captivating sculptures that challenge our perceptions of art and its relationship with the everyday world.
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Photography and painting
Combine painting, or simply "Combine", is a term closely associated with the American artist Robert Rauschenberg. Rauschenberg's Combine paintings incorporate elements of both painting and sculpture, challenging the doctrine of medium specificity mentioned by modernist art critic Clement Greenberg. Items attached to the paintings may include three-dimensional everyday objects such as clothing or furniture, as well as printed matter like photographs or newspaper clippings.
Rauschenberg's Combine paintings relate to the succeeding Pop art and the earlier Dada Movement of the early 1900s. The prevailing theme of his work, according to Edmund Burke Feldman, is "nonmeaning, the absurd, or antiart". Rauschenberg himself said:
> I don't want a painting to be just an expression of my personality. I feel it ought to be much better than that... I’ve always felt as though, whatever I’ve used and whatever I’ve done, the method was always closer to a collaboration with materials than to any kind of conscious manipulation and control.
Other artists have also explored the combination of painting and photography in their works. For instance, the artist Jasper Johns used similar techniques as those seen in Rauschenberg’s Combines. In his painting titled Fool’s House (1964), Johns affixed a broom onto his canvas. In the digital realm, artists have manipulated photographs using digital painting tools to create composites that blur the line between painting and photography.
The combination of painting and photography allows artists to explore the boundaries between traditional art forms and everyday objects, challenging the notion of what constitutes a work of art. By merging these two mediums, artists can create unique and innovative works that offer multiple interpretations and experiences to viewers.
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Dada movement influence
Combine painting, or simply Combine, is a form of artwork that combines elements of both painting and sculpture. It involves attaching three-dimensional objects, such as clothing or furniture, as well as printed materials like photographs or newspaper clippings, to a painted canvas. This artistic style challenges the doctrine of medium specificity, as it blurs the boundaries between art and the everyday world. The term "Combine" was coined by American artist Robert Rauschenberg to describe his unique creations.
The Dada movement, which emerged in Zurich, Switzerland, during World War I, was an avant-garde and anti-establishment reaction to the horrors and nationalism associated with the war. Dadaists employed a wide range of media, including performance art, poetry, photography, sculpture, painting, and collage, often with a satirical and nonsensical tone. They mocked materialistic and nationalistic attitudes, and their influence extended to Berlin, Hanover, Paris, New York, and beyond.
The influence of the Dada movement on Combine-painting is evident in several ways. Firstly, Dada challenged traditional artistic values and techniques, paving the way for experimental forms like Combine-painting. Dadaists, such as Marcel Duchamp, questioned the basic definitions of art and the role of the artist, often using everyday objects in new contexts to provoke thought. This breaking down of barriers between art and everyday life is a key aspect of Combine-painting.
Secondly, Dada's use of collage and assemblage techniques, as seen in the work of Kurt Schwitters, directly influenced the merging of media in Combine-painting. Schwitters' collages and sculptural assemblages, made from the detritus of postwar Germany, disrupted conventional artistic categories and encouraged interpretative participation from viewers. This idea of merging and transforming everyday objects into art resonates strongly with the principles of Combine-painting.
Additionally, the absurdist outlook of Dada, influenced by the French playwright Alfred Jarry's "Ubu Roi" (King Ubu), celebrated the imaginary and the nonsensical. This absurdist spirit can be seen in the playful nature of some Combine-paintings, such as Rauschenberg's Canyon, which has been interpreted as a whimsical recreation of a Rembrandt painting. The Dada movement's embrace of the absurd and its challenge to traditional artistic boundaries helped foster an environment where innovative forms like Combine-painting could thrive.
Lastly, Dada's influence extended beyond its initial dissipation, with its ideas becoming cornerstones of various modern and contemporary art movements, including Pop art, Conceptual art, and Performance art. Similarly, the impact of Combine-painting can be seen in the work of subsequent artists, such as Jasper Johns, who incorporated similar techniques in his own practice. The influence of Dada on Combine-painting highlights how artistic movements build upon and challenge each other, pushing the boundaries of what art can be.
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Frequently asked questions
A combine painting, or Combine, is an artwork that incorporates elements of both painting and sculpture. It often includes three-dimensional everyday objects such as clothing or furniture, as well as photographs or newspaper clippings.
The term "Combine" is most closely associated with American artist Robert Rauschenberg, who coined the phrase to describe his artworks that explore the boundary between art and the everyday world. Other notable artists who have created combine paintings include Jasper Johns, Frank Stella, Pablo Picasso, and Georges Braque.
Some well-known examples of Rauschenberg's Combine paintings include "Bed" (1955), "Canyon" (1959), and "Monogram" (1955-1959). Other examples of combine paintings include "Homage" by Gregory Scott, "Watercolor Photos" by Elena Efremova, and the "FOX" series by Valeria Trasatti.
