Technology is implicit in all. When activated by the audience, the mirrored surface becomes a lovely abstract pattern of wood chairs suffused in warm, golden light. It's a square glass tank with an aluminum skirt that hides its electronic guts. A sound-activated pneumatic system injects air into the mud, forcing baby geysers to erupt and splash back down. The most recent works in which Rauschenberg displays his ongoing experiments with new materials are at the Museum of Fine Arts.
Metal substitutes for canvas and paper, too.
But like the life that it parallels, there are good days, bad days, boring and mediocre days. But also, I'm in transit, beginning to work on the next piece. I've learned a lot. The exhibit was curated by Menil Collection founding director Walter Hopps and associate curator Susan Davidson. It remains on view through May 17 at all sites.