The Surprise of the Contemporary: A Tribute to Rauschenberg

On the centenary of Robert Rauschenberg’s birth, Gallerie d’Italia in Milan pays tribute to one of the most influential figures of 20th-century art, known for opening the doors to Pop Art through his assemblages of found and salvaged materials. The exhibition offers an immersive journey through the major artistic transformations of the 1960s, highlighting the shift from traditional approaches to more conceptual, tactile, and experimental practices. At its core are Rauschenberg’s groundbreaking works, where printed imagery and everyday objects merge to redefine the visual language of the time. Surrounding his pieces are works by other major figures of the era - Yves Klein, Lucio Fontana, and Piero Manzoni - alongside artists from the emerging international avant-garde, including Giulio Paolini, Robert Ryman, and Richard Serra. Through a selection of 60 works, the exhibition invites visitors to rediscover the energy and inventiveness that shaped one of the most fertile periods in contemporary art.