The Facts
The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation has donated three sculptures from the artist's 'Gluts' series to ARTIST ROOMS, a collection jointly owned by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland that stages free touring exhibitions across the UK. The works—G-I Glut (1986), Rasputin's Revenge Early Winter Glut (1987), and Mobile Cluster Glut (Neapolitan) (1987)—are made from salvaged scrap metal and were inspired by abandoned gas stations and machinery in Texas following the 1980s oil surplus. Rauschenberg described the series as a critique of consumer culture, stating, 'It's a time of glut. Greed is rampant. I'm just trying to expose it.' The sculptures will be shown at Tate Modern in a free display opening 20 September 2026 and running through the end of 2027, featuring over 25 works from across the artist's career, including paintings, sculptures, prints, and kinetic works, drawn from Tate's collection and loans from the foundation. The display will also include rarely screened film documentation of Rauschenberg's performances and collaborations with choreographers Merce Cunningham and Trisha Brown.
The Signal
The donation strengthens ARTIST ROOMS' holdings of post-war American art and ensures that Rauschenberg's politically charged 'Gluts' series will reach a broad public audience through free touring exhibitions. For collectors and curators, the gift underscores the enduring institutional commitment to Rauschenberg's legacy, building on Tate's history with the artist—from its first acquisition of a silkscreen painting in 1969 to the major retrospective in 2016. The display at Tate Modern offers a rare opportunity to see these large-scale scrap-metal assemblages alongside a comprehensive survey of the artist's practice, reinforcing Rauschenberg's position as a pivotal figure who blurred the boundaries between art and everyday life.
- Artists: Robert Rauschenberg
- People: Robert Rauschenberg, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown
- Museums: Tate Modern, National Galleries of Scotland
- Locations: London
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