By Nik Bentel Studio

The Erased Rauschenberg

In 1953, Robert Rauschenberg erased an art piececreated by the abstract expressionist Willem De Kooning. Rauschenberg called the piece “The Erased De Kooning Drawing.” This act of erasure was a poetic way of having pop art succeed abstract expressionism. Following in the footsteps of Rauschenberg and in response to the economic trends of the art market, Nikolas Bentel raised $10,000 to purchase an art piece created by Robert Rauschenberg. Bentel raised the sum by selling space on the Rauschenberg piece as advertising space. Each square inch of the art piece was sold for $92.59. This made the act of purchasing the art piece, an act of destruction, allowing the economics of the art world to destroy an expensive piece of art. To complete the economic circle and create value from the erasure, Nikolas Bentel partnered with the New Museum to auction the art piece off starting at, 20,000 USD, twice its original value. The piece was sold for 21,000 USD to the Schroeder Collection in London. The proceeds were given to the New Museum, creating a scholarship fund for artists who were accepted to be a part of the New Museum residency program, New Inc.