Canyon 1959

Editor: Here we have Robert Rauschenberg’s *Canyon*, created in 1959, a striking example of his "Combine" paintings, incorporating oil paint, collage, and found objects, most notably a taxidermied golden eagle. The sheer physicality and unexpected juxtaposition of elements is, well, rather arresting! How do you interpret this work? Curator: "Arresting" is an apt description. Rauschenberg, in the late 50s, directly challenged the Abstract Expressionist dogma. *Canyon*, a visually chaotic yet deliberate composition, appropriates and recontextualizes familiar imagery – even a stuffed eagle. The eagle itself, and what appears to be a pillow hanging below it, evokes complex iconography of American power and sexuality, practically daring the viewer to unravel its many layers of meaning. How might this work comment on the art market or museum culture of the period? Editor: I see your point. Placing something like a bald eagle into a gallery makes the work very self-aware of its new function and location. Do you think its scale helps accomplish this as well? Curator: Absolutely. The scale, which would overwhelm in a domestic setting, immediately elevates it, imbuing the 'throwaway' culture, from the streets to museum status. It also brings up issues around ownership and authenticity. He seems to be critiquing institutions and our own understanding of cultural symbols. Does seeing this shift how you understand his place in art history? Editor: Definitely! It’s not just about the aesthetic appeal but the cultural conversation it sparks, using even the eagle itself as the ready-made, or as I now see, the readymade icon. Thanks, that provides new insights on the politics of imagery.