birth
Johannesburg, South Africa, 1955
last update
23-04-2025
William Kentridge, a descendant of Lithuanian and German Jews, was born in 1955 in Johannesburg, where he lives and works. A multifaceted creator, he combines political criticism and poetic language. He alternates the practice of drawing and engraving with forays into the world of cinema and theatre, where he has worked as an actor, writer and director. His work engages with the South African context of apartheid, seeing himself as socially and politically committed artist. But he also speaks of the nature of human relationships and memory, the relationship between desire, ethics and responsibility. His work is often imbued with lyrical and dreamlike elements, as well as hints of comedy.
The feeling of belonging to the cultural periphery of Europe, and therefore of geographical distance from the centre, has resulted in a visual imagery of objects that represent a certain historical distance: thus, clothes, telephones, typewriters and other objects that appear in his drawings evoke the colonial world of the early twentieth century. Famous for his animated films based on erased sketches, his work includes charcoal drawings on paper, etchings, books, collages, sculptures and the performing arts.
Since 1979, his work has been exhibited in various museums. He has participated in several international competitions, including: the Venice Biennale (1993, 1999 and 2005); Sydney (1996, 1997 and 2008), São Paulo (1998); Havana (1997); Istanbul (1995); and Documenta in Kassel, Germany (1997, 2002 and 2012). A major retrospective of his work toured for three years, beginning with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in California in 2009. MACBA dedicated a solo exhibition to the artist in 1999.
The feeling of belonging to the cultural periphery of Europe, and therefore of geographical distance from the centre, has resulted in a visual imagery of objects that represent a certain historical distance: thus, clothes, telephones, typewriters and other objects that appear in his drawings evoke the colonial world of the early twentieth century. Famous for his animated films based on erased sketches, his work includes charcoal drawings on paper, etchings, books, collages, sculptures and the performing arts.
Since 1979, his work has been exhibited in various museums. He has participated in several international competitions, including: the Venice Biennale (1993, 1999 and 2005); Sydney (1996, 1997 and 2008), São Paulo (1998); Havana (1997); Istanbul (1995); and Documenta in Kassel, Germany (1997, 2002 and 2012). A major retrospective of his work toured for three years, beginning with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in California in 2009. MACBA dedicated a solo exhibition to the artist in 1999.
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documents
22 results
Conjunt d'obres Col·lecció 30 aniversari [Enregistrament sonor]
document
28-11-2025 - 28-9-2026
A.HIS.08161
A.HIS.08161
Collection of works 30th anniversary collection [Enregistrament sonor]
document
28-11-2025 - 28-9-2026
A.HIS.08294
A.HIS.08294
Conjunto de obras Colección 30 aniversario [Enregistrament sonor]
document
28-11-2025 - 28-9-2026
A.HIS.08293
A.HIS.08293
Collection d'œuvres de la collection du 30e anniversaire [Enregistrament sonor]
document
28-11-2025 - 28-9-2026
A.HIS.08346
A.HIS.08346
The head & the load / William Kentridge ; texts: Philip Miller, Thuthuka Sibisi, Gregory Maqoma, Homi K. Bhabha, David Olusoga
document
2020
A14661
A14661
2nd hand reading : William Kentridge / William Kentridge
document
2014
A12626
A12626
Stop here : lecture notes 2013 / William Kentridge
document
2016
A13635
A13635
Vist de prop: William Kentridge [Reportatge fotogràfic activitat]
document
15-2-1999
A.HIS.04913
A.HIS.04913
William Kentridge [Enregistrament audiovisual exposició]
document
29-1-1999 - 11-4-1999
A.HIS.05145
A.HIS.05145
William Kentridge [Reportatge fotogràfic inauguració exposició]
document
28-1-1999
A.HIS.04701
A.HIS.04701
Ulisse: ECHO scan slide bottle / William Kentridge [Enregistrament audiovisual obra de Col·lecció instal·lada]
document
18-7-2013
A.HIS.03452
A.HIS.03452
William Kentridge [Reportatge fotogràfic exposició]
document
29-1-1999 - 11-4-1999
A.HIS.00542
A.HIS.00542
Dibuixos passadís -- William Kentridge [Enregistrament audiovisual exposició]
document
22-1-1999
A.HIS.06821
A.HIS.06821
William Kentridge [Enregistrament audiovisual exposició]
document
28-1-1999
A.HIS.06757
A.HIS.06757
The refusal of time / William Kentridge
document
2012
A08126
A08126
Lexicon / William Kentridge
document
2011
A08196
A08196
Everyone their own projector / William Kentridge
document
2008
A05556
A05556
Curs pràctic de gramàtica catalana : grau elemental per Jeroni Marvà : regles gramaticals i exercicis
document
1999
A05229
A05229
Curs pràctic de gramàtica catalana : grau elemental per Jeroni Marvà : regles gramaticals i exercicis
document
1999
A05232
A05232
Curs pràctic de gramàtica catalana : grau elemental per Jeroni Marvà : regles gramaticals i exercicis
document
1999
A05233
A05233
Curs pràctic de gramàtica catalana : grau elemental per Jeroni Marvà : regles gramaticals i exercicis
document
1999
A05230
A05230
Curs pràctic de gramàtica catalana : grau elemental per Jeroni Marvà : regles gramaticals i exercicis
document
1999
A04271
A04271