Robin Rhode: Memory is the Weapon (bilingual edition)

Robin Rhode: Memory is the Weapon (bilingual edition) presents the distinctive work of Robin Rhode, whose trademark is the wall. His creations are deeply influenced by urban music culture, film, popular sports, youth culture, and traditional South African storytelling. These works are crafted in public spaces, primarily on walls. Yet, it's not about the statement that he leaves behind on the street—it's about the process.

In his visual short stories, Rhode explores the connections between drawing, performance, and sculpture, step by step. The philosophy is simple: no body without a line, no line without a body. Using drawing as his starting point, he develops increasingly complex photographic works, digital animations, performances, sculptures, and works on paper. These pieces perform a balancing act between South African history, culture, mindset, signs, and codes, and the abstract language of European-American art history.

This richly illustrated catalogue accompanies Rhode's first solo show in twelve years in Germany. In addition to showcasing images of the art itself, the book includes an interview, an introductory essay, and poems by South African authors, whose work frequently intersects with his own.