Rauschenberg Returns With a Masterpiece of Postmodern Dance

"Working with both Trisha Brown and Laurie Anderson will be one of the most unique theatrical challenges in my career. None of us are into extravagant spectacles. We all three are singularly used to our self-made one man shows, which always include space and economy as part of the aesthetics. I am well aware of the independence of each artist. The risk and expertise rely on what kind of room we make for each other. No one could be more curious about this than I am."

"Rauschenberg also created the scenography, including Elastic Carrier (Shiner), a sculptural structure containing four projectors that screen films he collaged from Library of Congress instructional footage, drawing on early environmental science and industrial imagery. He also designed the stage and the silkscreened costumes."

"Set and Reset is based on improvisation, which was then recorded and choreographed to Anderson's at-times pummeling, synth-driven soundtrack. The Trisha Brown Dance Company will pair the benchmark Set and Reset with another dance work for which Rauschenberg designed the set, 1977's Travelogue, which hasn't been performed by a professional company since 1979."

Robert Rauschenberg's Set and Reset returns to the Brooklyn Academy of Music as part of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, with performances February 26–28. The collaborative work with Trisha Brown and Laurie Anderson originally debuted at BAM in 1983. Rauschenberg created the scenography, including Elastic Carrier (Shiner), a sculptural structure containing four projectors that screen films collaged from Library of Congress instructional footage, drawing on early environmental science and industrial imagery. He also designed the stage and silkscreened costumes. Set and Reset is based on improvisation recorded and choreographed to Anderson's synth-driven soundtrack. The Trisha Brown Dance Company will pair it with Travelogue (1977), a Rauschenberg–Cunningham collaboration not performed professionally since 1979.

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