William Kentridge

Artist biography:

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1955

Studied at University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg (1973-76), the Johannesburg Art Foundation (1976-78) and École Jacques LeCoq, Paris, France, (1981-82).

William Kentridge has gained international recognition for his distinctive animated short films and for the charcoal drawings he makes in producing them. Kentridge has worked in theatre for many years, initially as set designer and actor, and more recently, as director. Since 1992 he has collaborated with the Handspring Puppet Company creating multi-media pieces using puppets, live actors and animation. Throughout his career he has moved between film, drawing and stage, yet his primary focus remains drawing. He sees his theatre and film work as an expanded form of his drawing.

He has recently exhibited at the Baltic Art Centre in Sweden and at the South African National Gallery in Cape Town.

Kentridge has won the Sharjah Biennial 6 Prize, United Arab Emirates and the Kaiserring Prize, Moenchehaus-Museum fúr Moderne Kunst in Germany in 2003 amongst other awards.