(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Join Smithsonian curator Carolyn Russo as she talks about her book, The Ascent of Rauschenberg on Thursday, October 8, 2026 in a virtual discussion presented by the Ocean County Library. Explore the towering legacy, unexpected inspirations, and creative heights of Robert Rauscenberg (1925 – 2008), one of American's most influential artistic icons. The event begins at 2:00pm.
Most famous for his Combines painting and sculpture hybrids, Rauschenberg created within a range of mediums, including collage, performance, photography, and printmaking. But a connective tissue through it all was a fascination with flight. The Ascent of Rauschenberg explores the flight motif across his work, spanning birds, insects, aviation, spaceflight, sensory experiences, and metaphors for his own life.
More than 150 images reveal the vibrant scope of his work, from lithographs inspired by the Apollo 11 launch that NASA invited him to witness and document to a Combine featuring a taxidermied eagle that evokes Roman mythology. Nine accompanying essays reflect on his many flight themes and subtleties that might otherwise be overlooked. The book also includes archival photographs and personal papers from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.
Carolyn Russo is the curator of the art collection at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. She has lectured internationally on the subject of art and flight and is the author of several publications, including Art of the Airport Tower, In Plane View: Abstractions of Flight, and Women and Flight: Portraits of Contemporary Women Pilots.
Registration is required for this free program. Register now for the change to view art history through the unique prism of flight. To register, visit tinyurl.com/RussoOCL, call 732-349-6200, or stop by your local OCL branch.
Grammy Award -winning producer and guitarist extraordinaire, John Pizzarelli salutes the legendary Tony Bennett celebrating over 60 years of unparalleled artistry. From Bennett’s ’50s pop hits like “Because of You” and “Rags to Riches” through his timeless classics of the ’60s such as “I Wanna Be Around” and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” to his remarkable collaborations with Bill Evans, Pizzarelli’s trio will bring these iconic songs to life once again. The evening will also highlight Bennett’s incredible revival in the ‘90s while Pizzarelli weaves in personal anecdotes and stories that reveal the man behind the music.
Musician and historian Bobby Horton combines storytelling, musicianship, history, and a genuine love for the people who settled this nation, fought for our future, and created a new nation in Patriot Songs of the American Revolution.
Veronica Swift has established herself as one of her generation’s iconic voices in Jazz. Throughout her childhood, she toured nationally with her parents (Jazz musicians Hod O’Brien and Stephanie Nakasian), singing at renowned clubs and festivals such as Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz Standard (NYC), Jazz Showcase (Chicago), and Telluride Jazz Festival. She recorded her first album at age nine, and since then has had a career spanning two decades, which saw a 2nd place win at The 2015 Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition, a twice-a-year residency at Birdland Jazz Club, joining Chris Botti’s touring band, as well as touring with Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and recording with Jeff Goldblum. Her 2021 album This Bitter Earth received a 5-star review and the cover of DownBeat magazine, and in 2024, she was honored with a French knighthood as Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters.
Concert pianist Lyndon Ji enjoys a diverse performing career in solo and chamber settings, with a particular enthusiasm for introducing lesser-known works to audiences of all backgrounds. This afternoon program will explore modernist French music from Fauré to Lili Boulanger to Murail, as well as the mystic sound world of Scriabin through a selection of études and the ineffable Fifth Sonata. Lyndon currently serves as staff pianist at Rutgers, Artistic Director of the Bay Area International Piano Competition, and appears in concert regularly throughout the East Coast.
