Begneaud talks about growing up in Lafayette, Louisiana with friends and extended family, attending church as frequently as three times a week. He remembers visits with his uncle, Robert Rauschenberg, sometimes with groups of artists. Begneaud describes how he spent his summers in Captiva as a teen and shares later memories of the other artists there, when he was employed by Rauschenberg as a cook. Begneaud details what he learned from Rauschenberg while spending time in the studio, describing these early talks as lessons in observation. He details his travels with Rauschenberg: attending NYC openings; vacations to Paris, Italy and Greece; and Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI) trips to China and Chile. Begneaud speaks about connecting Rauschenberg to Bobby Weir and their ensuing friendship. He speaks about Rauschenberg's influence on his own life as an artist, and on spending time in Captiva following Rauschenberg's stroke in 2001. The interview ends with his thoughts about Rauschenberg's memorial at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Artists--20th century.--New York (State); Artists; Captiva Island (Fla.); Begneaud, Byron Richard, Jr; Rauschenberg, Robert, 1925-2008; Weir, Bob, 1947-; Robert Rauschenberg Foundation; Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange; Metropolitan Museum of Art
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2015
Physical Description
94 pages
Note (Biographical)
Rick Begneaud was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, the son of Janet and Byron Begneaud, Robert Rauschenberg's nephew. He is an artist in the San Francisco Bay area. His art makes use of found elements, abstract painting, and collage on paper or canvas. H e has travelled extensively and his work has been influenced by the textiles and small objects he has encountered all over the world
Note
Interviewed by Sara Sinclair on May 28 and May 29, 2015
Note (Provenance)
Rick Begneaud, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2019