Trisha Brown and Robert Rauschenberg: Glacial Decoy

In 1979 choreographer Trisha Brown and artist Robert Rauschenberg created a landmark work that carved out new possibilities for the convergence of dance and visual art. After years of choreographing for unconventional spaces such as rooftops, walls, and city parks, Brown invited Rauschenberg—her longtime friend and fellow artist—to collaborate on Glacial Decoy. Commissioned by the Walker Art Center, the piece represented Brown’s first work for the proscenium stage.

An homage to its namesake, Trisha Brown and Robert Rauschenberg: Glacial Decoy presents Rauschenberg’s original décor and costumes alongside related prints, archival materials, and video of historic and recent performances. The projected set features Rauschenberg’s black-and-white photographs, which advance across the stage in a steady rhythm, echoing Brown’s choreography of continuous entrances and exits. The images—tires, melting ice, freight trains—transform everyday scenes into a poetic visual landscape. His translucent costumes similarly play with presence and absence, framing the body in motion.

The exhibition kicks off a multidisciplinary series of programs in celebration of Rauschenberg’s centennial year. Throughout November 2025, the program Rauschenberg@100: Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Kyle Abraham will highlight the artistic lineage between its three titular choreographer-dancers and their partnerships with the artist. The series will include live performances and a Walker residency with the Trisha Brown Dance Company.