Detail

In 1953 Robert Rauschenberg erases a drawing by Willem de Kooning in a symbolic act and exhibits it as a work of his own. De Koonings gestural painting embodies the central issues of abstract expressionism. Looking back Rauschenberg who does become an enfant terrible, remembers: „They think it was a gesture protest against the abstract expressionism. Because it is a very complicated story and I don't think most people would think this way. And so it is hard for them to think of that or just a pure act of destruction. Vandalism is the other alternative." – "And for you?" – "It's poetry." In his intention to let reality directly break into the painting, Rauschenberg goes on to create his first combine paintings, to which Diplomat also belongs. Heterogeneous found objects like wooden slats, wire, nails, and a cover of an umbrella are no longer projected into the two-dimensional painting; they appear in all their brittle materiality as three-dimensional objects and lend the painting’s surface relief. "Diplomat" shows a comparatively large amount of painting. The dynamic expressive application of paint cites abstract expressionism and presents it as a style of art frozen as decoration. The tip of the pendulum shaped construct additionally indicates the opening to the real world. It penetrates the boundaries of the painting’s frame and thus proofs to be a symbol of crossing the border to real space.