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Art in Context: Stoned Moon Drawing
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969 (detail from contact sheet)
As a contract photographer for Gemini G.E.L., Malcolm Lubliner documented the many artists who passed through the print studio throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Lubliner was present to photograph nearly every stage of the production of Stoned Moon Series, capturing informal moments between printing and carefully staging portraits of the artist at work. Lubliner also documented the opening of the first exhibition of Stoned Moon Series at Leo Castelli Gallery in New York in November 1969. Selections from Lubliner’s more than five hundred photographs of Rauschenberg at work on Stoned Moon Series were to be used throughout Stoned Moon Book.
All photographs courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Rauschenberg working on the drawing for Sky Garden (1969).
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Rauschenberg drew source material from thousands of NASA photographs, in addition to glossy magazines such as Life, for the Stoned Moon lithographs.
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Rauschenberg working on Sack (1969).
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Conventionally, each lithographic stone is used to print a single color. Most of the Stoned Moon lithographs are printed from multiple stones. Transparencies enable the artist to keep track of the composite drawing as he works on individual stones.
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Rauschenberg working on the stone for Air Pocket (1969). On the walls above his head, from left to right, are versions of White Walk (1970), Ape (1970), Trust Zone (1969), and Shell (1969).
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Rauschenberg draws with tusche on the surface of a stone for Hybrid (1970).
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Rauschenberg working on Hybrid (1970).
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Transfer paper is another method for applying a grease drawing onto the surface of lithographic stones. Since images are printed in reverse from stone to paper, this intermediary transfer enables images to be printed in their original orientation.
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Rauschenberg working on a stone for Hybrid (1970).
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Gemini master printer Kenneth Tyler prepares the stone for Waves (1969). This and Sky Garden (1969), both exceeding 7 feet in height, were believed to be the largest ever hand-pulled lithographs at the time of their making.
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Rauschenberg oversees the placement of the stone for Waves (1969) onto the press bed.
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Gemini master printer Kenneth Tyler reviews editions of Brake (1969) with Rauschenberg. They were printed with a cracked stone.
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Robert Rauschenberg producing Stoned Moon Series at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Stoned Moon exhibition, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
The one-night premiere presentation of Stoned Moon lithographs took place on November 13, 1969, scheduled to coincide with the eve of the Apollo 12 launch, NASA’s second manned lunar mission.
Malcolm Lubliner (b. 1933), Stoned Moon exhibition, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, 1969
Courtesy the artist; Craig Krull Gallery, Los Angeles; and The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles. © Malcolm Lubliner
The one-night premiere presentation of Stoned Moon lithographs took place on November 13, 1969, scheduled to coincide with the eve of the Apollo 12 launch, NASA’s second manned lunar mission.
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Art in Context: Stoned Moon Drawing
