Pioneering artist William Kentridge chronicles his creative process during COVID. Interconnected episodes explore culture, history, politics, and profound truths through art-making, inviting viewers into his studio.
Episode 1
Kentridge introduces viewers to his Johannesburg studio, imagined as an enlarged head where multiple dialogues occur between the artist and himself. He begins interviewing his double, leading to a studio populated by his many selves.
Episode 2
Kentridge explores the making of a self-portrait as a means of self-discovery. He welcomes dancer Dada Masilo into his studio and attempts to draw his own figure with a brush attached to a long stick, while his double observes the imperfect outcome.
Episode 3
Investigating how memory connects to place, Kentridge draws a fictional colonial landscape reminiscent of those from his childhood, while his doppelgänger illustrates his own memories of Johannesburg.
Episode 4
Reflecting on a childhood story about Perseus accidentally killing his grandfather, Kentridge contemplates destiny and explores the tale of the Cumaean Sibyl, who revealed people's fates inscribed on falling leaves.
Episode 5
Kentridge paints black curved brushstrokes that align into the shape of a horse from a specific viewpoint. He debates with his doppelgänger, who sits on a tall wooden horse, and collaborates with his team on a large abstract sculpture.
Episode 6
Recreating rehearsals from previous performances, Kentridge reads a phonetic poem with performers Hamilton Dlamini, Mncedisi Shabangu, Nhlanhla Mahlangu, and Mica Manganye. They also read John Chilembwe’s 1915 letter advocating for equality in Malawi.
Episode 7
Kentridge reflects on the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of moments, integrating music and animation to convey the fleeting aspects of memory and experience.
Episode 8
Drawing from his performance piece of the same name, Kentridge examines the complex histories of African porters during World War I, combining shadow play, music, and narration to highlight overlooked narratives.
Episode 9
In the concluding episode, Kentridge and his collaborators leave the confines of the studio, led by a marching band, symbolizing a return to the outside world and the culmination of their introspective journey.
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