This is a biography of Robert Rauschenberg based upon personal interviews by the biographer of almost every one important to the artist over his entire life span. It begins with a quotation from Rauschenberg, "Painting relates to both art and life. Neither can be made. (I try to act in the gap between the two)"Mary Lynn Kotz provides a critical discussion of several artistic works reproduced in this book. One of them is "Opal Gospel, "a multiple artist book produced in 1971. The word 'opal' was suggested to Rauschenberg by the iridescent inks used in the work. It is an unbound book containing poems from the Nootka, Chippewa, Nanajo, Iglulik, Pawnee and Apache tribes, printed with Rauschenberg's illustrations from nature in iridescent ink on clear plexiglas. The panels or pages, are interchangeable in their stands. With this hauntingly iridescent work, Rauschenberg celebrated his own American Indian heritage. This biography is the only fully illustrated account of Rauschenberg's life prepared with his full cooperation. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.