In 1969, Robert Rauschenberg was invited by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to witness the launch of the Apollo 11 mission to place man on the moon for the first time. At the end of a decade in which the war in Vietnam and social turmoil in America had left him disillusioned, this scientific and technological marvel gave the artist new hope for the future. That year, in response to the Apollo 11 achievement, and in collaboration with the Gemini GEL print workshop, Rauschenberg created the Stoned moon series - the title reflecting both the lithographic medium and the moon mission.
Author Biography
Jaklyn Babington is assistant curator of international prints at the National Gallery of Australia.
