Three major sculptures by Robert Rauschenberg have been donated to ARTIST ROOMS by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, strengthening the UK’s national collection of contemporary art and extending celebrations marking the artist’s centenary.
The works will go on display at Tate Modern from 20th September 2026 as part of a major free exhibition dedicated to one of the defining figures of post-war American art before becoming available for ARTIST ROOMS exhibitions across the UK.
Jointly owned by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland, ARTIST ROOMS stages free exhibitions at museums and galleries nationwide, bringing significant contemporary artworks to audiences far beyond London and Edinburgh.
The donation comprises three sculptures from Rauschenberg’s celebrated Gluts series: G-I Glut (1986), Rasputin’s Revenge Early Winter Glut (1987) and Mobile Cluster Glut (Neapolitan) (1987).
Created from salvaged scrap metal gathered across Texas during the oil surplus of the 1980s, the sculptures transformed discarded machinery, car parts and industrial debris into powerful reflections on consumerism and excess.
Rauschenberg described the works as a response to the economic and cultural climate of the time, saying:
“It’s a time of glut. Greed is rampant. I’m just trying to expose it, trying to wake people up.”
The sculptures will form part of a new display at Tate Modern, bringing together more than 25 works spanning the artist’s career, including paintings, prints, sculptures, kinetic works and rarely screened films documenting his collaborations with pioneering choreographers Merce Cunningham and Trisha Brown.
The exhibition builds on Tate’s long relationship with Rauschenberg, which stretches back to the acquisition of one of his silkscreen paintings in 1969 and the museum’s major retrospective in 2016.
Gregor Muir, Director of Collection at Tate, said:
“We are delighted that the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation has chosen to celebrate the artist’s centennial with this extraordinary gift of three sculptures of considerable importance. Works in the ARTIST ROOMS collection are not only shown in Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland’s own galleries – as we will be doing at Tate Modern this autumn – but they are also made available to art organisations across the UK, reaching the widest possible audience for years to come.”
Venda Pollock, Director of Collections & Research at the National Galleries of Scotland, added:
“Rauschenberg’s Gluts are powerful reflections on consumption, industry and change, and they continue to resonate with striking relevance today. These works will strengthen the ARTIST ROOMS collection and enrich our ability to share the work of one of the most renowned post-war artists.”
Courtney J. Martin, Executive Director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, said the donation reflected the Foundation’s commitment to extending the artist’s legacy:
“These three Gluts, forged from the remnants of a particular moment, ask us to look squarely at what we value and what we discard. As we mark the centennial of his birth, we are honoured to partner with Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland through ARTIST ROOMS.”
Established in 2008 by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland, ARTIST ROOMS has become one of the UK’s most successful public collections of contemporary art. Since its launch, the programme has staged 230 exhibitions at almost 100 venues, reaching more than 62 million visitors.
The Rauschenberg donation follows several recent additions to the collection, including works by Helen Chadwick, Isaac Julien and, most recently, screenprints by Roy Lichtenstein, which will tour the UK in 2027.
The new Rauschenberg display opens at Tate Modern on 20th September 2026 and continues until the end of 2027, before the sculptures begin touring as part of the ARTIST ROOMS programme across the UK.
About
The ARTIST ROOMS programme and collection is managed by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland with the support of Art Fund, Henry Moore Foundation and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and Creative Scotland. Its founding collection was established through The d’Offay Donation in 2008 with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund and the Scottish and British Governments.
