Japanese Clayworks (1982/1985)

This is the first series of works that Rauschenberg made at Otsuka Ohmi Ceramics Company in Shigaraki, Japan. He worked with chemists to produce glazes that allowed him to silkscreen his photographs onto decals that were then fused with ceramic. The sculptural series includes motifs reminiscent of the Combines, as well as imagery of ancient and modern Japan from Rauschenberg’s photographs.