Robert Rauschenberg has passed away at the age of 82. The prolific American artist who defined the term multimedia died yesterday at his home on Captiva Island, Florida. The cause of death was heart failure according to Arne Glimcher, director of the Pace Wildenstein gallery in New York, which had represented Rauschenberg.

Robert Rauschenberg was a pioneer in pushing art beyond the not so cozy confines of Abstract Expressionism. His works incorporated a multitude of untraditional materials including consumer items and even junk the artist would find on the street. Said the departed:

“I really feel sorry for people who think things like soap dishes or mirrors or Coke bottles are ugly, because they’re surrounded by things like that all day long, and it must make them miserable.”

During his long career Rauschenberg worked as a painter, photographer, sculptor, set designer, performer, choreographer and composer and often some combination thereof. He was survived by a son from a previous marriage, Christopher Rauschenberg, and his companion, artist Darryl Pottorf.

You can by learning more about the Bob Rauschenberg Center for Living, a health center in Fort Myers, FL dedicated to saving lives from HIV/AIDS in Southwest Florida.

LINKS:

NY Times: Robert Rauschenberg, American Artist, Dies at 82

AFP: Modern art master Robert Rauschenberg dead at 82

Wikipedia: Robert Rauschenberg