by Andrew "Kosmo" Spies
A great South African artist and an artist the world has seen fit to embrace. I’m talking about William Kentridge. Of course I’m a little biased but I’m South African I don’t really know any better but to support my fellow South Africans, especially like in William Kentridge’s case, one that has helped change the way we look at art.
Kentridge was born in 1955 in Johannesburg, and is still stomping around on the planet making waves. Working with charcoal, video and pastels, Kentridge uses his media together in a composite type manner. Kentridge created his first animated feature in 1989, for the series Drawings for Projection, entitled: Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City after Paris. Layering charcoal drawings over one another, and using pastels for accents and highlights, all dealing with political and social issues faced in South Africa. He has gone on to create a great many number of works which have had critics waiting with baited breath to see what he has next to offer.
As an artist/animator/designer myself, I’ve found his work to be inspiring and motivational, simple ideas very well thought through and well executed. Thought provoking work which in all likelihood is more relevant to myself, because I actually live here, have seen the things he refers to within his work. I do also believe that any artist/animator/designer can find inspiration in his work. Needless to say his works make you think, they toy with your brain, and push you to use your imagination differently.
Check out this interesting video on YouTube about Mr. Kentridge. Or you can read more about him on Wikipedia or at ArtThrob.
A great South African artist and an artist the world has seen fit to embrace. I’m talking about William Kentridge. Of course I’m a little biased but I’m South African I don’t really know any better but to support my fellow South Africans, especially like in William Kentridge’s case, one that has helped change the way we look at art.
Kentridge was born in 1955 in Johannesburg, and is still stomping around on the planet making waves. Working with charcoal, video and pastels, Kentridge uses his media together in a composite type manner. Kentridge created his first animated feature in 1989, for the series Drawings for Projection, entitled: Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City after Paris. Layering charcoal drawings over one another, and using pastels for accents and highlights, all dealing with political and social issues faced in South Africa. He has gone on to create a great many number of works which have had critics waiting with baited breath to see what he has next to offer.
As an artist/animator/designer myself, I’ve found his work to be inspiring and motivational, simple ideas very well thought through and well executed. Thought provoking work which in all likelihood is more relevant to myself, because I actually live here, have seen the things he refers to within his work. I do also believe that any artist/animator/designer can find inspiration in his work. Needless to say his works make you think, they toy with your brain, and push you to use your imagination differently.
Check out this interesting video on YouTube about Mr. Kentridge. Or you can read more about him on Wikipedia or at ArtThrob.
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