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biljanaadad2016:

Some examples of Robert Rauschenberg’s transformations of boxes.

‘Cardboard boxes are pretty much at the bottom of the totem pole in terms of possible art materials. They are cheap, disposable containers for other things. Rauschenberg has said he tries “to act in that gap between” art and life, and there’s probably nothing more quotidian than a cardboard box. He uses them “as is,” with their stains, tears, marks and worn labels revealing their history and creating a patina of wear and age. But he’s far from precious with the boxes, denting, tearing, flattening, crushing and combining them.

More than 30 years later, a good number of people still see Rauschenberg’s “Cardboards” as pretty audacious. According to one of the exhibition guards, the comment most viewers make is, “I could do this at home.” That isn’t exactly an unheard-of reaction to art, but it’s not just coming from the rank-and-file museumgoer — I heard more than one Houston art collector express similar sentiments. At 81, the artist can still rile people up.’ FROM