The first text looks at Leo Steinbergs book of essays ‘Other Criteria’ it talks about how in the 1950s work could still be hung on the wall but it made no difference. They still became flat being referred to as a ‘symbolic allusion to hard surfaces’ where things may be placed on top of them or pressed into them. There is also mention of how at this time work changed from vertical to horizontal as being a shift from nature to culture. Robert Rauschenberg’s work in the early 1950s brought about change with the ‘flatbed or work-surface picture plane. He erased a drawing created by Willem de Kooning and named it ‘Drawing by Willem de Kooning erased by Robert Rauschenberg’ this then changed the work into something original with what was once there no longer to be seen, it had now become flat.

The text titled ‘Richard Serra from The Yale Lecture’ discusses how he became well-known for his three-dimensional work in the 1960’s with the use of heavy materials and industry works. With his reliance on others his work is created, without the interest in using steel to make a picture but rather as a building material with structure. His work is site specific and cannot be supported by its surroundings. Sculptures built away from the site or that haven’t been specifically made for a site always have to be adjusted in order to fit in with their surroundings.

In both of these texts they talk about artists practising in an unconventional way compared to what others were doing at the time. Robert Rauschenberg’s work could be described as a shift from nature to culture and abandoned the typical portrait way of working. Richard Serra created a practical structure rather than making something that could be looked at like a picture. It should also be noted that both of these artists were practising around the same time.