Rammellzee in Groningen

Within the group of early New York artists, Rammellzee (15-12-1960 - 28-06-2010) was the philosopher and theorist of graffiti. He had a solo exhibition at the Groninger Museum (in collaboration with Museum Helmond) from February 8 to March 22, 1987. It involved 50 works of art, all collected from Dutch property. Rammellzee himself was present in Groningen February 4 through 8 and gave a guest lecture at art school Minerva and a rap performance under the title Gregorian Chants, in an outfit of his own design during the opening on Feb. 7. Previously, 10 of his works were on display at the Groninger Museum as part of the group exhibition “Graffiti, ten writers from New York #39; from January 15 through February 26, 1984. And later again in the group exhibition

'Coming from the Subway' (October 4 '92 - January 10, 1993). That exhibition showed how graffiti artists had had moved away from spraying on train cars and were exploring new techniques. By then, Rammellzee had developed into a multi-artist with other visual techniques, including installations, assemblages, collage, cast resin and performance art, as well as collaborations in music and street-fashion and a short appearance in a feature film.

Rammellzee was a source of information about the early days of graffiti, its position in hip-hop culture, the emergence of different styles, and how with words decorated train cars in ever-changing sequences sent different messages into the world. On the other hand, personal and very elaborate theories and ideas, for example about how armed letters wage a symbolic battle for freedom against the straitjacket of form, language and the alphabet (called by him “ikonoklast panzerism”). In doing so, he shuttles between his own form of Afro-Futurism (a broad range of science fiction-like expressions based on Afro-American culture and history) and the European monastic tradition (such as the sculptures and richly illustrated manuscripts from the Gothic period). The Groninger Museum has in its collection 3 works by Rammellzee, including one installation (Gulf War, 1991). There are also several videotapes that have not yet been digitized or described. Prior to the solo exhibition in 1987, Rammellzee, accompanied by Amsterdam gallery owner Yaki Kornblit, was interviewed by Luuk Verpaalen of OOG-Radio. The number of listeners did not interest him; what mattered to him was that his voice went out into the ether, and thus into the cosmos. By coincidence, I was present during that interview. I was studying graphic design' course at the Minerva art academy and for the photography minor I had applied myself to portrait photography. Days before, when I heard from Luuk about the interview, I asked him if I could attend.

Things were very relaxed. After the interview in the studio Rammellzee also wanted to see the control room, where the technology was located. I drifted after him through the cramped corridor and he looked back questioningly. “You're my mother goose,” I joked. He responded in a distorted voice as if it were communication between two pilots “Follow the leader!’’ Rammellzee asked if I might accompany Kornblit and him the next day on a tour of the old churches of Groningen. Unfortunately, I didn't have time, but I helped them on their way as best I could.