Perhaps you’ve noticed this shimmering jewel. This is Rolihlahla, a raw diamond suspended in a clear acrylic glass stele. It stands on Nelson-Mandela-Platz. From afar, it’s subtle. Close up, it sparkles catching the light. The artist duo missing icons named it Rolihlahla. This translates to troublemaker. It’s Nelson Mandela’s first name.
Mayor Marcus König unveiled Rolihlahla on October 7, 2021. He said the artwork fits perfectly into the redesigned Nelson-Mandela-Platz. Diamonds form under pressure and heat over millions of years. They are the hardest gemstones. The creation of Rolihlahla started with finding the right raw diamond. The artists bought a small distorted octahedron. It shines brightly in both sunlight and artificial light.
The Austrian firm k-tec GmbH encased it in a man-sized acrylic glass cube. The cube measures 183 by 62 by 28 centimeters. This clear cube sits on a high-tech base. Lights illuminate the gemstone from below. The entire art project cost around 143,000 euros. Funds came from the city’s urban renewal program.
In 2015, Nuremberg launched a global art competition. They sought ideas to honor Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy. The winning design was Rolihlahla by missing icons. Planungs- und Baureferent Daniel F. Ulrich was pleased. He said it brings a valuable object to the Südstadt. He added that outstanding art belongs throughout the city. Such works bring joy to everyone.
Nelson Mandela’s father named him Rolihlahla. It means pulling the branch of a tree or troublemaker. Mandela’s fight against apartheid led to nearly thirty years in prison. Although he didn’t renounce violence to gain freedom, prison transformed him. The violence and isolation shaped him. He became South Africa’s first Black president. He championed reconciliation and non-violence.
Over his years of imprisonment, Mandela realized that oppressors lose their humanity too. In his 1997 autobiography, he wrote about freeing both the oppressed and the oppressor. True freedom means respecting and promoting the freedom of others.
The diamond in the acrylic block represents Mandela’s journey. It symbolizes the balance between violence and reconciliation. It embodies experienced injustice and unwavering hope for a free future. Rolihlahla is a provocative instigator. It merges invincibility with vulnerability. It combines inflexibility with openness.
The Rolihlahla Sculpture attracts art lovers and curious onlookers. It sparks a dynamic interplay. It provokes respectful engagement and desire. It invites both defense and challenge. The diamond is hard. However, the acrylic encasing is vulnerable. It will gradually show signs of wear. The sculpture embodies the struggles of building a society based on freedom and humanity. Mandela viewed humanity not as a given right. Instead, it’s something to be lived daily in every unique situation.
Andrea Knobloch and Ute Vorkoeper have collaborated since 2013. They founded missing icons in 2017. They bring repressed, vanished, and unimaginable things to life in public spaces.
Rolihlahla was temporarily removed in January 2022. Technical issues caused visual imperfections. A new acrylic casting resolved these issues. The sculpture was reinstalled in May 2022. The city incurred no additional costs. Ulrich noted that the sculpture remained undamaged. The Südstadt is a good place for art. So, here stands Rolihlahla a testament to Mandela’s enduring spirit. It’s a reminder that even within a flawless exterior lies the potential for change.