William Kentridge

William Kentridge's charcoal animations were extremely impressive to me. I appreciated how he used an old medium in a new format. His explanation for using charcoal is spot on and brilliant. It shows a history of the movement and story. I think that he must have had some kind of guilt as to the social injustice that occurred where he lived and felt that he needed to expressed his sorrow and disgust for it. I wonder how the community received the shows and art he created. Did it open eyes? Did it give him trouble from people that thought he was poorly representing the community or it people?

I wondered why he would make that kind of art. He may not have directly been apart of the mistreatment but he obviously felt the need to make something that showed what others were going through. He said in the film that he wouldn't begin the art with an agenda but that it would come to him as he did it. I hated that he thought it shouldn't be planned out and to just run with it. I don't think thats how every work should be done. I know thats not how he treated all of his pieces but it makes me feel like he isn't guided by anything. I don't have a plan for every work I've done but I have guidance.