The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation is launching a global centenary celebration for the artist's 100th birthday, spanning 2025–2026. The program includes major exhibitions at seven institutions across five countries, such as "Five Friends" at Museum Brandhorst in Munich and Museum Ludwig in Cologne, photography shows at the Museum of the City of New York and Fundación Juan March in Madrid, and an exhibition at M+ in Hong Kong focusing on Rauschenberg's ROCI program. The foundation is also initiating grant-making initiatives to highlight Rauschenberg's legacy in art, technology, environmentalism, and social justice.
This centenary matters because Rauschenberg remains a pivotal figure in postwar American art, known for his boundary-breaking "Combines" and his belief in art as a catalyst for social change. The coordinated international exhibitions and philanthropic efforts reaffirm his enduring influence on contemporary artists and his role in fostering cross-cultural dialogue, particularly through his early engagement with China and Asia. The celebration also underscores the foundation's dual mission of preserving his legacy and supporting new artistic innovation.