William Kentridge

I discovered the work of artist William Kentridge during the first months in college (I did Visual Arts at Belas Artes in São Paulo), and in those days I wanted to develop video projects and urban installations and this was how I got charmed and was surprised with the talent and works by this artist.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he studied and lives there to this day. His work is largely inspired by his life experience during the apartheid and his reflexions on colonialism and exile.

Along with the social-political subject, we can see in his work a fascination by Modernism and Expressionism, by matters of time, space and universe, as well as nature’s creativity.

I’ve had the opportunity to see a few of Kentridge’s exhibits in different countries and with each visit my enchantment and admiration grew.

Some of his work in the current exhibit in London (at the Whitechapel Gallery) are familiar to me, but each time, each new assembly at a different place, I notice details I haven’t seen before.

“The Refusal of Time” (2012) is one of my favourites. An installation with 5 video projections of 30 minutes each, assembled in a room with megaphones and a machine that represents human breathing. This work is a collaboration with Philip Miller (responsible for sound), Catherine Meyburgh, Dada Masilo and Peter Galison. This installation deals with the subject of time, its measure and control.

Another one of my favourites is also part of this exhibition, “Second Hand Reading” (2013). It’s a video of drawings over pages of the Concise Oxford Dictionary, and is 7:01 minutes long. In this video he presents more a political question in a very subtle way, with contradictory meaning slogans.

Besides these two, there is one more of his earlier work that is part of this exhibition. “7 Fragment For George Méliès, day for night and the journey of the moon” (2003). It’s 9 video projections with sound, 16mm and 35mm based on live video and cartoons, and the sound work is again a collaboration with Philip Miller. This work is inspired by artists such as Jason Pollock, Bruce Naumman, as well as being a tribute to George Méliès.

There is also a space dedicated to 3 tapestries that were created by him and in this space there are also books about Kentridge’s work.

The exhibit counts with 2 new works.

“Right into her arms” (2016), an installation of a miniature model theatre with images and cartoons projected, the video projection is 11 minutes long.

“O Sentimental Machine” (2015) – there is no mistake in the way I wrote the title, it is exactly like this – 5 video projections, and the videos are 9:55 minutes long.

Of course these photos don’t do justice to the magnitude and depth of William Kentridge’s work. Whoever is in London or just visiting until 17 January 2017, and is curious to see this fantastic and inspiring artist’s work up close, do not miss the chance.

Thick Time exhibit
21 September – 15 January 2017
Whitechapel Gallery
77-82 Whitechapel High Street
London
E1 7QX
T: +44 (0)20 7522 7888
E: info@whitechapelgallery.org