William Kentridge

William Kentridge is a South African visual artist and stage director known for work across drawing, printmaking, animated film, sculpture, performance, theatre, and opera. His public significance rests particularly on his charcoal-based animation method and his integration of visual art with theatrical and operatic production.

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About William Kentridge

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

South Africa · Visual artist, Filmmaker and animator, Theatre director · 1 affiliation

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Known for: Charcoal-drawing animation; Multimedia theatre and puppetry; Opera staging
Country: South Africa

Visual artist
Filmmaker and animator
Theatre director
Opera director

At a glance

Kentridge works across visual art, animated film, performance, theatre, and opera.
His characteristic animation process involves repeatedly drawing, erasing, redrawing, and photographing charcoal images so that traces of revision remain visible.
He began collaborating with Handspring Puppet Company in 1992 on multimedia theatre combining puppetry, live performance, and animation.
His international recognition includes the 2010 Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy and the 2017 Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts.
In 2016, Kentridge co-founded Johannesburg's Centre for the Less Good Idea with Bronwyn Lace.

Background and training

Born in Johannesburg on 28 April 1955, Kentridge completed a bachelor's degree in Politics and African Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1976. He later studied at the Johannesburg Art Foundation and undertook mime and theatre studies at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris. During his early career, he was associated with Johannesburg's interracial Junction Avenue Theatre Company.

Drawing, animation, and film

Kentridge is particularly associated with animated films made through successive alterations to charcoal drawings on paper. He repeatedly draws, erases, redraws, and photographs an image, allowing the marks left by revision to become part of the finished work. In 1989, he released Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City After Paris, identified by institutional accounts as the first work in his Drawings for Projection series.

Theatre, puppetry, and opera

Kentridge's stage practice brings drawing and animation into live performance, theatre, puppetry, and opera. His collaboration with Handspring Puppet Company began in 1992 and produced multimedia theatre involving puppets, performers, and projected animation. He has also worked as an opera director, extending his visual methods into large-scale stage productions.

Recognition and collaborative work

Kentridge received an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2004, the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy in 2010, and the Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts in 2017. The Museum of Modern Art opened William Kentridge: Five Themes in 2010. In 2016, he and Bronwyn Lace co-founded the Centre for the Less Good Idea in Johannesburg; the Centre's website identifies him as founder, although the reviewed evidence does not establish a more specific current governance or executive title.

Affiliations

The Centre for the Less Good Idea Founder 2016–present

Timeline

1955-04-28 Born in Johannesburg, South Africa.
1976 Completed degree studies in Politics and African Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand.
1981 Began mime and theatre studies at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris.
1989 Released Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City After Paris, identified as the first work in the Drawings for Projection series.
1992 Started collaborating with Handspring Puppet Company.
2004 Received an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from the University of the Witwatersrand.
2010-02-24 The Museum of Modern Art opened William Kentridge: Five Themes.
2010 Received the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy.
2016 Co-founded the Centre for the Less Good Idea in Johannesburg with Bronwyn Lace.
2017 Received the Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts.

Additional verified details

Current context

The Centre for the Less Good Idea lists William Kentridge as founder on its team page. This is a current website-directory observation and does not establish a dated appointment or specific governance responsibility.

Biographical facts

William Kentridge was born on 28 April 1955 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He completed a bachelor's degree in Politics and African Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1976.
After studying at the University of the Witwatersrand, Kentridge studied at the Johannesburg Art Foundation and undertook mime and theatre studies at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris.
During his early career, Kentridge was associated with Johannesburg's Junction Avenue Theatre Company; institutional accounts place his membership from 1975 and describe work with the interracial troupe during his student years.
His animated-film method includes repeatedly drawing, erasing, redrawing, and photographing charcoal and paper images, leaving visible traces of alteration in the finished work.
Kentridge began collaborating with Handspring Puppet Company in 1992 on multimedia theatre works involving puppets, live performance, and animation.