RM: Anus Horribilis

Kunstmuseum St.Gallen proudly presents Anus Horribilis, the first museum exhibition of the artist duo RM (formerly Real Madrid), which will feature works specifically created for the LOK, the Kunstmuseum St.Gallen’s second venue. The practice of this artist collective, founded in 2015 in Geneva, is situated at the intersection of sexuality, consumption, and identity. With previous large-scale sculptures and installations, RM has investigated social and political reactions to stigmatized sexually transmitted diseases and infections. For Anus Horribilis RM is now taking this thematic exploration further, right up to the last stigma—that of dying.

Melanie Bühler, Senior Curator Kunstmuseum St.Gallen, on RM: “RM was originally named Real Madrid, after the successful mega football club, arguably one of the best-known brands in the world. The choice of this name was motivated by an interest in how information spreads and what it might mean for an artist collective to be untraceable on the internet under this name. They had to shorten the name for legal reasons—Real Madrid became RM—but an interest in transmission, virality and the parasitic is still central to their work. RM’s practice has addressed bedbugs, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and drug addiction—and now death. In Anus Horribilis they approach dying as a physical transformation in which bowel movements play a central role. As such, the exhibition is also an examination of excrement as a paradoxical cultural object that sits awkwardly between taboo, liminal experience and embarrassment. Social stigmas and the fears associated with them are often starting points for RMs work, which is characterized by a precise formal language, pop-cultural references and humor, despite the gravity of the topics addressed.”

RM was founded as Real Madrid in Geneva in 2015. RM studied at HEAD—Haute école d’art et de design, Brera Academy of Fine Arts (Milan) and the Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee. RM has had solo exhibitions at Auto Italia, London (2023); Centre d’édition contemporaine (CEC), Geneva (2023); Swiss Institute, New York (2022); and Centre culturel suisse, Paris (2021). Their work has also been included in numerous group exhibitions, such as Buoyancy, AyeAye, Copenhagen (2022); Trovate Ortensia, ICA Milano (2021); FUORI, Quadriennale Roma, Rome (2020); and United by AIDS, Migros Museum, Zurich (2018). RM has won the Swiss Art Award twice, in 2023 and 2018. RM lives and works in Geneva and Berlin.

Curated by Melanie Bühler.

This exhibition is additionally supported by Pro Helvetia, the Canton of Geneva and Philaneo. Philaneo is a non-profit association, which promotes contemporary art ideologically and financially. The association supports the production of new works as well as exhibition projects and purchases for public collections.