The origin and continually new point of departure for Robin Rhode's works is drawing-drawing understood as the setting of signs in space, as identification, as definition of the body in space but also as the reality of a concrete drawing on the floor, a wall or on paper. Performance is also characteristic for Rhode and resulted in international acclaim for him in the late 1990s. At that time, his strength lay primarily in his capacity to act on the spur of the moment, spontaneously replacing signs with drawings and awakening the objects thus created to life. Today, in addition to this, one of his artistic practices is to strictly choreograph events.

Bits and Pieces
For many years, Rhode's initial artistic material was solely himself and a piece of chalk or charcoal. He drew a candle and tried to blow it out; he painted a bicycle and tried to push it away; he used black color to paint drums on the wall and tried to play them. Works like Bits and Pieces likewise focus on drawing but represent a variant of his playfulness with this medium. [...]

Stephanie Rosenthal
Translation: Elizabeth Gahbler


Catalogue excerpt
fast forward 2. The Power of Motion
Media Art Sammlung Goetz
Editors: Ingvild Goetz and Stephan Urbaschek
Ostfildern, Hatje Cantz, 2010

Robin Rhode, Untitled, Spade for Spade, 2005
Single-channel video installation, black and white, sound
Edition 4/5 (+ 2 a. p.)
2' 50"


Robin Rhode, Color Chart, 2004-06
Single-channel video projection, color, sound
Edition 5/5 (+ 2 a. p.)
4' 50"