Robin Rhode: 'Who Saw Who' at the Hayward Gallery

Robin Rhode: 'Who Saw Who' at the Hayward Gallery

08 October, 2008
by: SUSIE

On my way to the Hayward Gallery to see Robin Rhode's first UK exhibition, Who Saw Who, it occurred to me that Robin Rhode could be described as the David Blaine of the art world. Remembering that Blaine is, famously, a bit of a plonker, I immediately tossed the thought onto the 'hasty judgment' pile. Turns out I was probably spot on.

Robin Rhode was born in Cape Town in 1976 and is now based in Berlin. Who Saw Who surveys the last decade of his work and also presents some current pieces. Performance, photography, film and sculpture all feature, but drawing is really where it's at for Rhode. Raised in Johannesburg, his use of chalk, spray paint and charcoal is a fitting approach to the urban environment he grew up in and the youth cultures and social struggles he addresses. Dilapidated walls and the street itself are his canvas.

Drawings are presented as photographic series, animations and as interactive performances recorded on film. Catch Air shows a skateboarder riding a halfpipe – the ramp is chalk, the motion is a sort of basic stop-frame, and what was down, is now up. It's a neat illusion that raises a hint of a smile, but subversive it most certainly is not. In a film Untitled (Skipping Rope) Rhode invites the audience to play with a skipping rope drawn on the wall. The use of ‘Untitled' seems almost like an admission that this isn't really a complete and considered work of art; though, more likely, it was intended as a statement of ‘low art' status. But there is no artistry in the performance's documentation. In another performance Mop Painting, we even have to endure a few minutes of the artist putting his socks on.

It is the clash of low and high art that is problematic for Rhode. Street art is thriving in this city, with the likes of Banksy, Eine, D*face and ID leading the field, and the Black Rat Press just one of many galleries that manage to bridge the gap from street to gallery without too much trouble. Rhode is obviously aware of the contradiction and is acutely wary of the 'white cube' – his frequent use of this phrase is rather unfortunate, however, considering his upcoming exhibition at Jopling's space at Hoxton Square from 26 November.

Anything that encourages everyday visual awareness is excellent and this simple, but important, thing is where street art can be so effective. The difficulty arises with Rhode's insistence on pseudo-intellectual theory and art-historical referencing. Rather like explaining a joke, it kills the work flat. While his earlier work (not on show here) was more political, more thoughtful, Who Saw Who is not funny enough, not smart enough. It is gimmicky and lacks resonance. Yes, he is playing with traditional artist-spectator roles, with ideas of escape, fantasy/reality and the artist as creator. But these ideas are not new, and his work does little to address them in any meaningful way. Moreover, you've got to question the subtlety and intelligence of someone who is quoted in his own exhibition guide as complaining about how tough it is to find wall space in Berlin.

Frankly, Robin Rhode: Who Saw Who isn't cool and it isn't clever.

Exhibition continues to 07.12.08.

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SUSIE