Although he is regarded as one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century for his artists' books, prints and sculptures often made with found materials, Dieter Roth (1930–1998) always thought of himself mainly as a writer, viewing his artistic work as a way to earn money for his writing. The use of language accordingly forms a leitmotif throughout Roth's entire oeuvre.

Drawing on significant works from various phases of Roth's career, Dieter Roth: Balle Balle Knalle explores an essential connective thread in Roth's varied body of work, showing how text and image were intimately connected for the artist and how his literary and artistic endeavors cross-pollinated each other.