OFFSET: Robert Rauschenberg at USF Graphicstudio
January 19 – March 2, 2024
USF Contemporary Art Museum
Press Release PDF // Exhibition Checklist PDF
EXHIBITION HOURS + ADMISSION // Special Hours: January 19th 7-9pm. Normal Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-5pm; Thursday 10am-8pm; Saturday 1-4pm; Closed Sundays. Admission: All exhibitions and events are free and open to the public.
OFFSET: Robert Rauschenberg at USF Graphicstudio tells the story of Robert Rauschenberg’s long and fruitful collaboration with Donald J. Saff, founder of Graphicstudio in 1968, Distinguished Professor, Chair of the Art Department, and Founding Dean of the College of The Arts at the University of South Florida. Together, Rauschenberg and Saff worked on projects that had profound impacts locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. OFFSET is co-curated by USFCAM Director Margaret Miller and Research Administrator Mark Fredricks, and organized by USF Contemporary Art Museum.
Robert Rauschenberg, Eco-Echo VIII, 1992-93. acrylic and screenprinting ink on aluminum and Lexan, with sonar-activated motor. 88 x 73 x 26 in. Collection of Ruth and Don Saff. Image Courtesy Saff Tech Arts, Photo: George Holzer.
Rauschenberg collaborated with Saff and the Graphicstudio team of printmakers to produce more than thirty editions of prints and sculpture multiples over three decades. This relationship would expand the method, scope, and very idea of printmaking through important series including Made in Tampa (1972-73), Crops (1973), and Airport Suite (1974). From 1984 to 1991, Saff served as Artistic Director of the Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI), a global exhibition tour and cultural exchange program that involved Rauschenberg’s travel to each participating country and the development and exhibition of work inspired by his travels. Several key works related to the ROCI project are included in the exhibition, notably Chinese Summerhall (1983), a 100-foot-long photographic print from images captured on the trip to China that inspired the ROCI project.
Robert Rauschenberg, Chinese Summerhall, 1983. chromogenic print. 30 x 1200 in. Published by Graphicstudio, University of South Florida Collection. Photo: Peter Foe.
In addition to the artist’s experimentation across mediums, Rauschenberg’s legacy is explored through the works of artists that recall his radical approach to materials, process, and concepts, including Trisha Brown, Rochelle Feinstein, Christian Marclay, Narsiso Martinez, Bosco Sodi, and Tavares Strachan.
Tavares Strachan, Happy World, 2022. oil, enamel, pigment, acrylic. 47-1/2 in. diameter x 2 in. depth. Courtesy of the artist.
EXHIBITION WORKBOOK
View and download a pdf of the OFFSET: Robert Rauschenberg at USF Graphicstudio exhibition workbook. The 56-page workbook is available to students and museum visitors without cost, and includes texts by scholar Dr. John Blakinger, Curator-at-Large Christian Viveros-Fauné, USFCAM Director Margaret Miller, and Research Administrator Mark Fredricks. (5.6MB)
VIDEO REPLAY - OFFSET Opening Conversation with Donald J. Saff and John R. Blakinger - January 19, 2024
Replay of the January 19, 2024 conversation to celebrate the opening of USF Contemporary Art Museum's exhibition OFFSET: Robert Rauschenberg at USF Graphicstudio. Scholar John Blakinger discussed the origins, experiences, and impacts of the Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange project with ROCI Artistic Director and USF Graphicstudio Founder, Donald J. Saff. Moderated by Margaret Miller, Director of USF Contemporary Art Museum. Video is also available on our YouTube channel.
VIDEO REPLAY - THE WORLD IS MY PALETTE - John R. Blakinger Talk - October 22, 2023
Replay of THE WORLD IS MY PALETTE: Rauschenberg's Overseas Cultural Exchange (ROCI) by John R. Blakinger, Endowed Associate Professor of Contemporary Art at the University of Arkansas. This talk was presented by the USF Institute for Research in Art on October 22, 2023. Video is also available on our YouTube channel.
VIRTUAL TOUR
Explore this virtual 360 degree interactive walkthrough of OFFSET: Robert Rauschenberg at USF Graphicstudio. For the best experience click the View Fullscreen icon in the lower right of the window. Virtual tour Courtesy of USF Access 3D Lab, Dr. Laura Harrison and Alex Fawbush.
OFFSET EXHIBITION SPONSORS
Major Sponsors:
Vinik Family Foundation
Stanton Storer Embrace the Arts Foundation
Sponsors:
Judy Genshaft and Steve Greenbaum
The Casper Adams Foundation
Ami Utji and Jorn Veenstra
Albert Alfonso
Exhibition Support:
Lee & Victor Leavengood Endowment
USFCAM ACE (Art for Community Engagement) Fund Patrons
Florida Department of State, Florida Arts & Culture
