In Madrid, the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza presents an exceptional installation devoted to Express (1963), a seminal work by Robert Rauschenberg. On view from 3 February to 24 May 2026, the exhibition Rauschenberg: Express. On the Move forms part of the international celebrations marking the centenary of the artist’s birth and offers a contemporary re-reading of a painting that has become legendary.
Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid. © Ugo Mulas / Archivio Ugo Mulas – All rights reserved
Express (1963): Movement as an Artistic Language
Painted in 1963, Express belongs to the series of silkscreen paintings that marked a decisive turning point in Rauschenberg’s career. By incorporating imagery drawn from the American press—horse riders, dancers, wheels, bodies in motion—the artist captures the frenetic rhythm of modern society and translates the idea of movement into visual form.
Through the use of commercial silkscreen printing, a technique he adopted in 1962, Rauschenberg developed a new visual grammar based on repetition, enlargement, and superimposition. Painting becomes a hybrid space, at the crossroads of photography, collage, and gestural mark-making.
An Immersive Exhibition at the Heart of the Creative Process
More than a conventional display, Express. On the Move stands out for its analytical and immersive approach. The exhibition retraces the different stages of the artist’s working process: the selection of photographic sources, the production of silkscreen screens, the transfer of images onto canvas, and the final manual interventions with paint.
Archival documents, original images from American magazines, and historic photographs by Italian photographer Ugo Mulas shed light on the way Rauschenberg deliberately blurred the boundaries between disciplines, engaging in a dialogue with dance, performance, and the visual arts.
From Venice to International Recognition
Express occupies a central position in Rauschenberg’s career. The work was shown at the Venice Biennale in 1964, where the artist was awarded the Grand Prize for Painting, becoming the first American to receive this honor.
This moment marked a historic shift: American contemporary art asserted itself on the international stage, and Rauschenberg emerged as one of its leading figures, exerting a lasting influence on subsequent generations of artists.
Rauschenberg Today: An Oeuvre in Constant Motion
Through this installation, the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza emphasizes the enduring relevance of Rauschenberg’s artistic thinking. His work—grounded in exchange, experimentation, and hybridity—resonates powerfully with contemporary artistic practices.
Express thus appears not only as a historical milestone, but as a work that remains active and responsive, capable of engaging with our image-saturated present defined by speed, circulation, and visual flow.
Practical Information – Rauschenberg Exhibition in Madrid
Venue: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid
Dates: 3 February – 24 May 2026
Gallery: Room 48, Permanent Collection
Opening hours:
– Monday: 12:00–4:00 pm (free admission)
– Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00 am–7:00 pm
Standard admission: €14
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