Rauschenberg experimented with the idea of using art to resolve conflict in strife-ridden regions. He advocated collaborative practice to foster mutual understanding and tolerance.<br><br>Between 1984 and 1991 he undertook a largely self-funded tour of 10 countries (Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, China, Tibet, Japan, Cuba, USSR, Malaysia, and Germany). The project, known as the Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange (ROCI), encompassed regions that had experienced suppression or strife in some form.<br><br>Rauschenberg visited each country in turn, learning by observation and discourse with local artists and communities. He documented his observations in situ through photography, film and art-making. <br><br>Between visits he returned to the United States to produce artworks reflecting his findings. Many of these pieces travelled with him to subsequent countries on the tour: sharing the art and its representations across continents. The majority of the artwork and artefacts from the tour ultimately formed an exhibition at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; other pieces were donated to each host nation.<br><br>By sharing his work in this way Rauschenberg hoped to illuminate the power of art as a device for connecting cultures: engendering peace through creative collaboration.<br>