William Kentridge
selected rare graphics
WILLIAM KENTRIDGE (born 1955 lives and works in Johannesburg) is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and influential artists in the world today. Annandale Galleries are delighted to provide this opportunity to the Australian public to view a selection of rare graphics from 1989 to 2004. Ranging in size from small works to the 110 part "Learning the flute"which is 2.8 x 3.6 metres in size, the mediums include lithography, linocuts, etchings and mixed media graphics.
Kentridge clearly has a social conscience and his work reflects the society and the broad political content of his native South Africa. His real quarry is rather larger and meditations on the human condition and the nature of human interaction both with each other and their environment give the work a timeless, universal appeal. Art historical influences include Tiepolo, Hogarth, Goya and Max Ernst as well as a myriad of literary figures such as Dickens.
Kentridge is best known for his award winning animated film/installations which have been acquired through Annandale Galleries by the Art Gallery NSW, Queensland Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria. However, in his view all of his work carries equal importance - there is no hierarchy - and while sometimes the films produce specific series of etchings, it is often the other way around in that the graphics inspire the films.
Kentridge's multi media talents also extend to theatre, stage design, opera and sculpture. His 24 piece sculpture installation "Procession" was shown at Annandale in 2000 and a major sculpture commission of four larger than life size bronzes "The Shadow Quartet" has been acquired by the Art Gallery of Western Australia as the centrepiece of their sculpture court. His full scale production of Mozart's "the Magic Flute" has been staged in Brussels, Lille, Naples and Johannesburg to rapturous critical
acclaim and will be shown in NYC in April. Some of the graphics in the Annandale show, including "Learning the Flute" and the "Thinking Aloud" series relate directly to the Opera.
William Kentridge has major work in museums around the world including the Tate London, the Pompidou Centre Paris, Museum of Modern Art New York, the National Gallery of Australia and others too numerous to mention here. Bibilography of writings about the artist runs to over twenty pages of fine print. He had a major travelling retrospective in the USA 2001- 2 and a survey show which took up an entire floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney in 2004. This is his fifth solo show at Annandale Galleries since 1995.
An award winning documentary about Kentridge "Drawing the Passing" will be showing during the exhibition.
Kentridge clearly has a social conscience and his work reflects the society and the broad political content of his native South Africa. His real quarry is rather larger and meditations on the human condition and the nature of human interaction both with each other and their environment give the work a timeless, universal appeal. Art historical influences include Tiepolo, Hogarth, Goya and Max Ernst as well as a myriad of literary figures such as Dickens.
Kentridge is best known for his award winning animated film/installations which have been acquired through Annandale Galleries by the Art Gallery NSW, Queensland Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria. However, in his view all of his work carries equal importance - there is no hierarchy - and while sometimes the films produce specific series of etchings, it is often the other way around in that the graphics inspire the films.
Kentridge's multi media talents also extend to theatre, stage design, opera and sculpture. His 24 piece sculpture installation "Procession" was shown at Annandale in 2000 and a major sculpture commission of four larger than life size bronzes "The Shadow Quartet" has been acquired by the Art Gallery of Western Australia as the centrepiece of their sculpture court. His full scale production of Mozart's "the Magic Flute" has been staged in Brussels, Lille, Naples and Johannesburg to rapturous critical
acclaim and will be shown in NYC in April. Some of the graphics in the Annandale show, including "Learning the Flute" and the "Thinking Aloud" series relate directly to the Opera.
William Kentridge has major work in museums around the world including the Tate London, the Pompidou Centre Paris, Museum of Modern Art New York, the National Gallery of Australia and others too numerous to mention here. Bibilography of writings about the artist runs to over twenty pages of fine print. He had a major travelling retrospective in the USA 2001- 2 and a survey show which took up an entire floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney in 2004. This is his fifth solo show at Annandale Galleries since 1995.
An award winning documentary about Kentridge "Drawing the Passing" will be showing during the exhibition.