His Chinese legacy: Robert Rauschenberg's impact and influence in post 1985 Chinese contemporary art and art policy

The Robert Rauschenberg Overseas Cultural Initiative ( ROCI) was a catalyst/source of reflection in the evolution of modern Chinese art from Soviet-inspired socialist realism to more avant-garde modes of expression. This thesis will explore the motivations that led Rauschenberg to create ROCI and the subsequent influence of ROCI on the China/Avant- Garde Art Exhibition and the issues that it raised up to the present in comparison to the environment during the pre-ROCI Third Stars Exhibition.;Much of the research was based from perspectives and analysis of available art sources to determine Rauschenberg's role in the formation of an experimental art climate in China in the mid to late 80s. In researching his exhibition and goals, primary news reports from magazines and arts journals, cultural policies of the time, and other arts criticism were used.;ROCI's founding aims and questions to its success were hotly debated by critics and public alike throughout Rauschenberg's world journey in the 80s and 90s. In the specific case of China, his work and presence sparked an intimate look within a newly-opening arts environment for the local government, local artists, and Rauschenberg himself. As the first Western contemporary artist to personally exhibit in the People's Republic of China, the showcasing of his works prophetically raised relevant issues regarding the commodification of art, its relationship with the government, as well as the relationship with the self, all of which Party leaders together with modern artists in China, grapple with today in expressing their personal vision for the country's future.