About

Rauschenberg’s belief in the power of art as a catalyst for positive social change culminated between 1984 and 1991 with his Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI). ROCI (pronounced “Rocky,” the name of the artist’s pet turtle) was a tangible expression of Rauschenberg’s long-term commitment to human rights and to the freedom of artistic expression. Funded almost entirely by the artist, the project traveled to countries around the world, often to those where artistic experimentation had been suppressed, with the purpose of sparking a dialogue and achieving a mutual understanding …