Week_05
Lecture Notes
Collaboration should be viewed as the intersection between human experience, a process that analyses and reflects upon the human condition, through the coming together of two or more perspectives, to better understand the world in which we reside.
The collaboration as process endeavours to combine the scientific facts with the philosophical, viewing the world as is, through the lens of what should be, or could be. This is evidenced in the achievements that can be observed throughout the history of the civilised world. In almost all cases, the progression or innovation was the outcome of the collective, taking insight from the shared experience, the coming together of intellects and experience, to further advance the position and wellbeing of the global community. At its best, collaboration has no limits.
Within the context of contemporary practice, collaboration serves to broaden the discussion, to bring insight and fact to an otherwise isolated conversation. As an industry, we are guilty of advocating isolationism, and this can make it difficult for those who do not actively educate themselves on the subject of design-thinking, to neglect their role as a contributor to the wider conversation.
Case-Study
Robert Rauschenberg x Willem De Kooning
Workshop Challenge
Copy
Robert Rauschenberg x Willem De Kooning
In 1953 Robert Rauschenberg began to explore the notion of creating a drawing by erasing an existing work. With this in mind, he had begun to erase drawings that he himself had created.
He soon realised that in order for the project to succeed he would need to erase a bonafide work of art and therefore, he would need to collaborate with an artist whose work would provide the endeavour with the required credibility.
Rauschenberg approached his friend, Abstract Expressionist, Willem De Kooning. After explaining the premise to De Kooning, it was agreed that Willem would select a work from his personal portfolio, for Robert to erase.
De Kooning had explained, that in order for the work to succeed he would have to select a work that he himself, would truly miss. This view, both encouraged Rauschenberg and alarmed him. Still, he did agree with the sentiment of the statement.
In an effort to make the task of erasing a drawing even more difficult for Rauschenberg, De Kooning had decided that the work should be one of mixed media, thereby providing the artist with the challenge of deconstructing the layers of material, that had been set down by the senior Artist.
It would take Robert Rauschenberg one month to erase the drawing, by De Kooning. Noting, that in the process, he had used a number of erasers to penetrate the thick layers of oil paint, crayon, and other materials, that the had contributed to the construction of the original drawing.
The outcome of this collaboration had resulted in one of the milestones in the history of 20th Century Art, with the work being viewed as not only a personal statement of intent, and a response to the philosophical debate that was taking place during this period, but also a work of profound implication, for the generations of Artists that followed.
Editorial
Group Discussion
Bibliography
Last name, First initial (Year published). Page title. [online] Website name. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Mo. Year].
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