The first text, Leo Steinberg (b.1920) from Other Criteria, explores Rauschenberg’s work in depth, recognising the ways in which Rauschenberg challenges the classic ‘head-to-toe correspondence with human posture’: that is, he experimented with the composition of his work, to the extent that it would disrupt the viewer’s ability to relate visually. Steinberg recognises how most artists revolve their work around a horizontal positioning due to the way humans observe: the audience of artwork expects to be able to visually relate. The way in which Steinberg concludes this piece of text by bringing in the overarching idea of change suggests his recognition of Rauschenberg’s innovation: he challenged the norm of composition.

The second extract, From the Yale Lecture by Richard Serra discusses site-specific sculpture, and the contrast this has with non-site specific sculpture. Serra believes site-specific sculpture forms a relationship between the environment and the sculpture itself: they are ‘inseparable’. Serra suggests that if sculptures are created in a studio space and then taken to another location to then be adjusted accordingly, the initial context of the work has been tampered with. Serra is essentially challenging the norm of creating work within a studio space.

This idea of challenging norms is what connects the two texts together. Both Rauschenberg and Serra reject certain elements of practice that would ordinarily be considered ‘fundamental’ to the work ethic of an artist.

Bibliography:

Art in Theory 1900-1990 : An Anthology of Changing Ideas. (1992). Blackwell Publishers, pp.948-953 1124-1127.