William Kentridge

William Kentridge is one of South Africa’s pre-eminent artists, internationally acclaimed for his drawings, films, theatre and opera productions. His work draws on varied sources, including philosophy, literature, early cinema, theatre and opera to create a complex universe where good and evil are complementary and inseparable forces.

Kentridge’s work has been seen in museums and galleries around the world since the 1990s, including Documenta in Kassel, Germany, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Albertina Museum in Vienna, Jeu de Paume and the Musée du Louvre in Paris, and the Ullens Center in Beijing. Kentridge’s opera productions have been presented at  the Metropolitan Opera in New York, La Scala in Milan, Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels, Festival d’Aix, amongst other opera houses and his performance and theatrical productions have been seen in many theatres across the world.

In 2010, Kentridge received the Kyoto Prize in recognition of his contributions in the field of arts and philosophy.  In 2011, he was elected as an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2012, Kentridge presented the Charles Eliot Norton Lectures at Harvard University and was elected member of the American Philosophical Society and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Also in that year, he was awarded the Dan David Prize by Tel Aviv University, and was named as Commandeur des Arts et Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. Kentridge has received honorary doctorates from several universities, including University of London, Yale University, Wits University the University of Cape Town. In 2015 he was appointed as an Honorary Academician of the Royal Academy in London.