William Kentridge: A Shadow of a Shadow

Kentridge’s first major solo exhibition in the region features a survey of 17 performances by the artist, spanning a period from the late 1980s to the present and showcasing a wide range of his work. They include his interpretations of King Ubu from Ubu Roi and Mozart’s The Magic Flute alongside Kentridge’s original production The Head and the Load (2018) about Africa and Africans during World War I. On display will be a variety of objects and artworks produced for the development and presentation of Kentridge’s performance projects, including drawings, stage backdrops, animations, puppets, props, costumes and installations inspired by theatrical illusions.

While nodding to Kentridge’s predilection for shadow plays and puppet theatre, A Shadow of a Shadow also pays homage to his incisive political rebuke of authoritarianism through absurdist satire and theatricality. Together, the works selected for this exhibition speak to the artist’s ongoing critique of social constructs, power structures and colonialism.

This exhibition is curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, and Tarek Abou El Fetouh, Senior Curator and Director of the Performance Department, with May Alqaydi, Assistant Curator, and Khalid Mohammed, Curatorial Assistant, Sharjah Art Foundation.

To 8 December.

Above: William Kentridge, Cat / Coffee Pot IV (2019)