The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan is preparing to host a significant exhibition celebrating the centennial of renowned American artist Robert Rauschenberg. The comprehensive show, titled "Robert Rauschenberg: Life Can't Be Stopped," is scheduled to open on October 10 and will run through April 5, 2026.

The exhibition will feature more than a dozen works, including Rauschenberg's impressive 32-foot-long silkscreen painting "Barge" (1962-63), which measures 9.7 meters in length. This monumental piece will return to the Guggenheim after nearly three decades, having last been displayed during a major retrospective of the artist's work from 1997-98.

"Barge" holds special significance as the largest work in Rauschenberg's collection of 79 silkscreen paintings. The piece combines transportation-related imagery with recognizable visuals drawn from everyday life and Old Master paintings, and was remarkably created largely during a single 24-hour period.

The exhibition will showcase works from the Guggenheim's own collection alongside important loans from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. The show aims to reexamine the artist's innovative use of visual media and commercial printing techniques, highlighting his groundbreaking approach to art-making.

Other notable works to be featured include the striking crimson mixed-media piece "Untitled (Red Painting)" from 1953-54, and an untitled silkscreen painting from 1963 that centers on choreographer Merce Cunningham, who was one of Rauschenberg's longtime collaborators.

Rauschenberg, originally from Texas where he grew up without formal art training, is widely considered a pioneering figure in Pop art. His work challenged established boundaries between traditional art disciplines, particularly painting and sculpture, through his revolutionary use of unconventional materials.

The artist is perhaps best remembered for his "Combines" series (1954-64), which boldly integrated found objects and real-world images with abstract painting techniques. Throughout his career, Rauschenberg was known for his extensive collaborations with dancers, musicians, writers, engineers, and other artists across various disciplines.

Joan Young, the Guggenheim's senior director of curatorial affairs, worked on the museum's 1997 retrospective as part of the curatorial team. Speaking about the upcoming exhibition, Young explained that the show primarily celebrates the artist's "legacy of endless spirit of experimentation that merged mediums and disciplines."

"His work encourages viewers to reconsider what art can be, embracing innovation, risk-taking, and the unexpected," Young continued. She pointed to the museum's current mid-career retrospective "Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers" as an example of Rauschenberg's continuing influence on contemporary artists.

The Rashid Johnson exhibition draws from various disciplines including literature, philosophy, and music, exploring contemporary Black culture, history, and identity through spray-painted text canvases, sculptural installations using black soap and shea butter, and video works. According to Young, Johnson, who works across performance, painting, sculpture, and other mediums, "is deeply influenced by Rauschenberg's innovative approach and use of diverse media."

The Guggenheim's celebration of Rauschenberg's centennial is part of a broader global commemoration taking place at institutions worldwide. Other venues participating in the anniversary programming include the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Germany; Fundación Juan March in Madrid, Spain; and the Museum of the City of New York in Manhattan.

In addition to the main exhibition, the Guggenheim will present a special performance program focusing on Rauschenberg's dance collaborations. On October 15, as part of the museum's Works and Process performing arts series, select works will be re-staged with the Trisha Brown Dance Company and the Paul Taylor Dance Company.

The exhibition will also feature several other significant works, including "Untitled [Hotel Bilbao]" from 1952 and "Religious Fluke" from 1962, providing visitors with a comprehensive overview of the artist's innovative career and lasting impact on the art world.

This major retrospective offers art enthusiasts and the general public an opportunity to experience Rauschenberg's groundbreaking contributions to contemporary art, demonstrating how his experimental approach continues to influence artists and challenge conventional ideas about what art can be.