In his <Cardboard> series (1971–1972), Rauschenberg confined himself to the use of cardboard boxes, eliminating virtually all imagery, reducing the palette to a near monochrome, and commenting in subtle ways on the materialism and disposability of modern life.
Often mistaken for actual crushed boxes, the <Cardbirds> series combine corrugated cardboard with offset photolithography and screen printing. Each crease, fold, and label was meticulously reproduced to mimic cast-off boxes, and achieve a trompe l’oeil effect.