中間內容區塊
William Kentridge
2024/05/04 - 2024/09/01
 

William Kentridge was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1955. He studied politics and African studies. His parents were prominent defence lawyers during the apartheid era, actively advocating for justice for victims of political persecution. Sharing the same concern for human suffering, Kentridge chose to use art to give voice to human condition. Kentridge's works are renowned for their intense and profound narrative poetry, rich and vivid media vocabulary. With his exceptional artistic talent and insight, he can create stirring works with simple language of drawing that resonate deeply with viewers.


This exhibition is a collaborative effort between the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in London, showcasing Kentridge's draftsmanship as the curatorial focus. From his earliest charcoal drawing to the stop-motion short film series of drawing for the projections, and from film directing to stage performances, as well as his recent large-scale drawings of trees and flowers using ink and charcoal, the exhibition meticulously traces his creative trajectory and aesthetic dimensions. Over four decades of dedicated exploration in monochromatic expression, Kentridge has developed a fresh vocabulary of expanded translation from his drawings. In his works, the seemingly limitations of black and white breed boundless energy. With subtle delineation, he conveys depth and complexity, revealing intricate layers of meaning and emotion. Visitors will not only be dazzled by Kentridge's remarkable mastery of materials shown in this exhibition but also witness how he employs poetic and humorous nuances to evoke profound resonance when addressing the solemnity in life.

 

Exhibition organised by the Royal Academy of Arts, London in collaboration with the Taipei Fine Arts MuseumExhibition curated by Adrian Locke at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, and Chaoying Wu at the Taipei Fine Arts

   

 

We are collaborating with An Art for the first time, in conjunction with the publication of the William Kentridge Catalogue, to offer an eye-opening viewing experience. Step into the mesmerizing world of William Kentridge's sketch animations and personally feel the rhythm of lines and textures.

Artist

William Kentridge

William Kentridge was born in Johannesburg in 1955. After graduating in Political Science and African Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in 1976, he spent two years studying at the Johannesburg Art Foundation before going to Paris in 1981 to study mime and theatre at the L’Ecole internationale de théâtre Jacques Lecoq. Returning to Johannesburg, he continued to work in theatre but also began to concentrate on his art, which included suites of etchings and linocuts, large-scale charcoal drawings and short films. By the late 1980s his work was gaining recognition outside South Africa, a process accelerated by the end of apartheid and the reopening of the country, which had long been internationally regarded as a pariah state. Since the 1990s, his art and work for stage has been seen in museums, galleries, theatres and opera houses across the world.

While always regarding drawing as his primary practice, Kentridge continues to make prints, sculptures, tapestries and films, and to work on theatrical projects and lectures. His work in theatre has expanded to include both directing operas and creating new operatic pieces in collaboration with composers and performers.

In 2016 he established the Centre for the Less Good Idea in Maboneng, Johannesburg. This studio laboratory space holds two seasons each year; to date over 500 artists have been involved and 100 individual works or productions created. The Centre will have a special residency at the Barbican to coincide with this exhibition.

Kentridge continues to live and work in Johannesburg.

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William Kentridge
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