Tomashi Jackson and Robert Rauschenberg: The Catch One April 16 - December 14, 2026
- To mark the centennial of Robert Rauschenberg’s birth, The Glass House together with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation proudly presents Tomashi Jackson and Robert Rauschenberg: The Catch One. Featuring newly commissioned paintings by Jackson in dialogue with works by Rauschenberg from the historic site’s permanent collection, the exhibition contributes to a global slate of 2025–26 initiatives that reexamine Rauschenberg’s legacy, honoring his expansive creativity, spirit of curiosity, and commitment to change. Rauschenberg was one of the most innovative artists of the twentieth century who influenced the trajectory of American art. In 1961, the artist made the Combine First Landing Jump, which Philip Johnson purchased and later gave to the Museum of Modern Art, New York; it was the first painting by Rauschenberg to enter the museum’s collection. In 1967, Rauschenberg designed costumes for a performance choreographed by Merce Cunningham on The Glass House grounds, set to a score by John Cage and debuted alongside a concert by the Velvet Underground. Three works by Rauschenberg remain in The Glass House’s permanent collection. Drawing inspiration and materials from his surroundings, Rauschenberg famously collaged images and everyday objects into his work. "There is no reason not to consider the world as one gigantic painting," Rauschenberg said. This exhibition includes two artworks from the Spread series (1975–83) by Rauschenberg from The Glass House collection: Ring Master and Recital—both made in 1980 and collected by Johnson and Whitney. These works are composed of plywood panels on which Rauschenberg variously applied acrylic, paper, fabric, solvent-transferred imagery, and commonplace objects, such as a fan. Additional works from The Glass House permanent collection and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation will also be featured in the exhibition. While distinct in approach and context, Tomashi Jackson’s practice has affinities with Rauschenberg’s: she employs painting, printmaking, photography, and performance to examine how abstraction, color theory, and social histories intersect in shaping perception and everyday life. Rigorous and experimental, her work is rooted in archival research while pushing the material and conceptual boundaries of painting. Jackson was invited to respond to the Spreads in The Glass House collection during a summer 2025 Rauschenberg Foundation residency in Rauschenberg’s former home and studio in Captiva, Florida. While reflecting on the Captiva compound and The Glass House as creative sanctuaries fashioned by white queer men, Jackson recalled memories of her mother’s involvement with sanctuaries for and by Black lesbian women in her native Los Angeles.
Jackson’s new paintings feature archival images related to Jewel’s Catch One, a Black lesbian-owned nightclub in Los Angeles that provided a welcoming space for Black and queer communities, offering cultural programming, health services, and social support when many mainstream clubs excluded them. Under the leadership of its owner, Jewel Thais Williams, The Catch One became a vibrant community institution that fostered a sense of joy, care, and belonging. “At The Glass House, we have long understood the site as a place of exchange between past and present, architecture and art,” says Kirsten Reoch, Executive Director of The Glass House. “This exhibition carries that vision forward by placing Robert Rauschenberg's historic work in dialogue with Tomashi Jackson's powerful contemporary practice; by pairing pieces from our collection with new commissions, we seek to create an experience that deepens engagement with the site and underscores our commitment to exhibitions that provoke reflection, spark dialogue, and invite discovery.” “This exhibition demonstrates the power of dialogue across time, place, and lived experience,” says Courtney J. Martin, Executive Director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. “Bringing Tomashi Jackson’s newly commissioned works into conversation with Rauschenberg’s Spreads invites us to encounter both artists anew, each attuned to the social textures of their moment and to the ways material, image, and history shape how we see and understand the world. Jackson’s response echoes Rauschenberg’s conviction that art is not separate from life, but an active force within it. We are proud to partner with The Glass House on this ambitious project, which honors Rauschenberg’s centennial as a living exchange grounded in care, experimentation, and the enduring capacity of art to foster connection and change.” Tomashi Jackson and Robert Rauschenberg: The Catch One is curated by Cole Akers and organized by The Glass House, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in partnership with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. This project is supported in part by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Special thanks to Night Gallery, Los Angeles. About the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation builds on the legacy of artist Robert Rauschenberg, emphasizing his belief that artists can drive social change. Rauschenberg sought to act in the “gap” between art and life, valuing chance, and collaboration across disciplines. As such, the Foundation celebrates new and even untested ways of thinking. About Rauschenberg 100 Robert Rauschenberg’s (1925-2008) strong conviction that engagement with art can nurture people’s sensibilities as individuals, community members, and citizens was key to his ethos. Centennial celebrations seek to allow audiences familiar with him and those encountering the artist for the first time to form fresh perspectives about his artwork. A series of global activities and exhibitions in honor of Rauschenberg’s Centennial reexamines the artist through a contemporary lens, highlighting his enduring influence on generations of artists and advocates for social progress. The Centennial’s activation of the artist’s legacy promotes cross-disciplinary explorations and creates opportunities for critical dialogue. For more information and continued updates on Centennial programming and news, visit rauschenberg100.org.
About The Glass House The Glass House, created between 1949 and 1995 by architect Philip Johnson and curator David Whitney, is a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, located in New Canaan, CT. This pastoral 49-acre landscape comprises fourteen structures, including the Glass House (1949), and features a permanent collection of 20th-century paintings and sculptures, along with annual contemporary exhibitions. The campus serves as a catalyst for the preservation and interpretation of modern architecture, landscape, and art, and as a canvas for inspiration and experimentation. The tour season runs from mid-April through mid-December, and advanced reservations are required. Members receive 10% off tour tickets.
About The National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately-funded nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities maintain and enhance the power of historic places. Chartered by Congress in 1949 and supported by partners, friends, and champions nationwide, we help preserve the places and stories that make communities unique. Through the stewardship and revitalization of historic sites, we help communities foster economic growth, create healthier environments, and build a stronger, shared sense of civic duty and belonging.
Visitor Information: The Glass House Visitor Center + Design Store 199 Elm Street, New Canaan, CT. 06840
Open Thursday – Monday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Closed Tuesday + Wednesday Tour season runs April 16 - December 14, 2026 Advance tour tickets are required. theglasshouse.org#theglasshouse#sunstormfneartmagazine#fineartmagazine#sunstormfineartmagazine.com#fineartmagazineblog.blogspot#thecatchone#robertrauschenberg#tomashijackson | 
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