First Time Painting 1961

This is Robert Rauschenberg, doing what he does best - throwing everything at the canvas. There's paint, collage, and this kind of manic energy that just jumps out at you. It's art as a verb, a doing, not just a thing. Look at the way the red paint drips at the bottom, almost like blood. Then, there’s that heavy black swipe, thick and confident, but also a bit messy, like he's not afraid to get his hands dirty. The textures are intense. Some parts are built up, thick with paint; others are thin washes, almost transparent. He's got these little objects stuck on there, like that wheel. It's like he's saying, "Hey, everything is fair game in art." Rauschenberg reminds me of Cy Twombly, both of them just letting loose on the canvas, making something beautiful out of chaos. It's not about perfection; it's about the process, the energy, the conversation between the artist and the materials.