WILLIAM KENTRIDGE (SA, 1955-)

DRAWINGS FOR THE HEAD AND LOAD

'KABOOM' TONDO

2022

ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS

PHOTOLITHOGRAPH ON 148gsm MOHAWK SUPERFINE EGGSHELL PAPER 

SHEET SIZE : 50CM X 40CM  

UNFRAMED

 MINT CONDITION

LIMITED PRINT EDITION SOLD OUT

William Kentridge's exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London featured over 150 works from the past three decades, showcasing his unique approach to exploring themes of colonialism, apartheid, and the human condition through a blend of political satire, poetry, and personal history. The exhibition includes drawings, prints, sculptures, and video installations that highlight Kentridge's masterful use of charcoal, his signature medium, and his ability to transform it into powerful imagery that evokes a sense of movement, time, and memory.

William Kentridge's "The Head and the Load" drawings are a series of charcoal and ink works on paper that were created as part of his larger multi-disciplinary artwork exploring the role of African porters in World War I. The drawings depict fragmented and layered images of soldiers, animals, and machinery, evoking the chaos and brutality of war. Kentridge's signature use of smudges and erasures add to the sense of disorientation and uncertainty, highlighting the ways in which history is often distorted or forgotten. Overall, the drawings offer a powerful and haunting reflection on the human cost of war and the ongoing struggle to remember and reckon with its legacy.

William Kentridge is a South African artist known for his prints, drawings, and animated films. He was born in Johannesburg in 1955 and studied at the University of the Witwatersrand and the Johannesburg Art Foundation. Kentridge's work often explores the political and social issues of his native South Africa, as well as broader themes of time, memory, and history. He is considered one of the most important contemporary artists working today.