The late-1960s home of artist Robert Rauschenberg, newly renovated and staffed with a team of archivists, is now open for appointment for those wishing to see the inside.
Rauschenberg purchased the ten-story building at 381 Lafayette Street in 1965. Situated between Manhattan’s Noho and Soho neighborhoods, it was originally constructed as a townhouse in the early 1800s before it became an orphanage and school in the latter half of the century. Though the school relocated to Staten Island in 1929, the convent and offices stayed.
After Rauschenberg purchased the space, he spent a year renovating the building, removing pews and an altar from the chapel, along with most religious fixtures—though the space still boasts its three iconic Gothic lancet windows. At that time, Soho was an up-and-coming neighborhood for New York artists and galleries, and Rauschenberg regularly exhibited art and held parties. Though he moved to Captiva, Florida, in 1970, he held the property until his death in 2008.
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Over his six-decade-long career, Rauschenberg created thousands of works, though he is perhaps best known for his “Combines” series: paintings and collages into which he incorporated three-dimensional everyday objects. He won the Golden Lion for these silkscreen paintings at the 32nd Venice Biennale in 1964, and by then was a major figure among the New York creative scene, collaborating with such painters as Jasper Johns and Cy Twombly, as well as the dancer Merce Cunningham, who used some of Rauschenberg’s work as stage backdrops.
Today, the space is home to the Rauschenberg Foundation, which renovated the space into offices, galleries, and an archive. (Unfortunately, other than the kitchen, there are no living quarters on view.) Those visiting the exhibitions can find examples of Rauschenberg’s work and others on display. Researchers can make an appointment to view the foundation’s archives.
The organization is also at work on a catalogue raisonné. Only one year into the project, they expect the compendium will take roughly 15 to 20 years to complete. The first volume is slated to be published in 2025.
