Robin Rhode

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Play, download and edit the free video Robin Rhode.

By Marina Ghobrial
Transcript
Robin Rhode is a Cape Town native, inspired by youth street culture and art history. Throughout his work, there are several references to socioeconomic inequality and outgrowths of post-Colonialism. Utilizing the sides of abandoned buildings, he paints static images and has a performer in the front, acting out poses. Several photos capture the interaction between the 2-dimensional wall and the performer.
In "Carry On," the symbolism is a little more apparent. The black and white palette allows the viewer to focus on the shape of the "bag" the figure seems to be tugging at. The bag is in the shape of South Africa and as it moves along the wall, the figure seems to struggle more to keep a grip on it.
"Arm Chair" shows a mysterious male figure in blackface. Dressed in a grey suit, he appears in front of a deep red wall and fast motion shots capture his movement. With his eyes closed, the last shot shows the young man hooked up to metal bands, wires, and tubes on his head. With Rhode's work often exposing inequality, this specific work refers to the injustice that black people experience that sometimes leads to the electrical chair.
Finally, "A Day in May" explores the tension between revolution and domesticity. The figure in a maroon hoodie marches with a black flag while being held back by clothespins. It's interesting to note that this exhibition coincided with international labor day on May 1, which is where the video got its title from.
Overall, the most meaningful aspect of Rhode's work is the performers themselves, nicknamed the "Born Free" collaborators. Being that area in Johannesburg where Rhode's is based is not very safe, he hires as many youths that are willing to work, giving the boys a sense of purpose. In recent years, all his work has been done on the same wall that features a long crack down the middle, which fits his style. The idea of mixing 2D and 3D is very hard to do successfully, but Rhode's approach allows his work to be very playful without losing its meaningfulness.

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