In celebration of the 100th birthday of groundbreaking American artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008), the Academy Art Museum presents Rauschenberg 100: New Connections, an immersive exhibition exploring the artist’s lifelong spirit of experimentation and collaboration. Centered on the monumental, one-hundred-foot-long color photograph Chinese Summerhall (1982)—rarely exhibited because of its scale and fragility—the show offers an extraordinary look at Rauschenberg’s first journey to China and his creative partnership with master printmaker and Eastern Shore resident Donald Saff.
Visitors will encounter more than twenty works from the Museum’s collection alongside this monumental loan from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Together, these works trace how Rauschenberg’s encounters abroad—and his collaborations in Florida and later in Maryland—sparked new ways of seeing and making that continue to shape contemporary art. Rauschenberg 100: New Connections invites audiences to experience the artist’s conviction that art can build bridges across cultures, communities, and generations.
Curated by Lee Glazer
Supported by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.
100 FOOT PHOTO
The exhibition also features the premiere of 100 Foot Photo, a new documentary directed by Matt Kresling that tells the story of Robert Rauschenberg’s creation of the world’s longest photograph—made with help from two Eastern Shore residents. The film chronicles the making of Chinese Summerhall, featuring commentary from Donald Saff and other collaborators. VIEW THE FILM HERE
Featured Programs
Friday, January 16th, 6pm
Thomas Moore Performance: White Paintings and Silent Music, John Cage and Robert Rauschenberg in the 1950s
FREE, Register Here
Saturday, February 21st at 6pm
Christopher Rauschenberg Lecture: Robert Rauschenberg’s Photographic Legacy In Context
FREE, Register Here
Friday, March 27th, 2026, 6pm
Don Saff Lecture: Robert Rauschenberg in China and the Overseas Cultural Interchange
FREE, Register Here
Workshops & Hands on Activities
Saturday, January 24th from 11am – 3:30pm
China Ink Painting on Xuan Paper
Saturday, February 28, 2026, 10:30 AM-2:30 PM
Combines in Design: A Mixed Media Workshop
*Be sure to register early for these workshops as they are likely to sell out!
Family & Community Engagement
Throughout the exhibition, AAM will host Family Art Days and ArtCart Thursdays (every Thursday, 5–7 PM, free and open to the public), featuring hands-on activities inspired by Rauschenberg’s experimental techniques.
Family Art Days:
January 31st, 11AM-3 PM – Printmaking for Kids
March 7th, 11-2 PM – Unexpected Materials
April 12th, 11-2 PM – Cultural Collage
Stay tuned for updates and registration links as additional programs are announced.
Press & Media Inquiries:
To request credentials, receive the press packet, or access promotional materials, please contact communications@