On Tears and Tearing the Work of William Kentridge

For me, what makes Kentridge’s artistic tendencies very intriguing is the fact that they lean more towards a poetic, philosophical, and theatrical approach, rather than a defined political perspective. His works all have recurring themes in his works are universal, exploring topics such as the self, relationships, time, and the cycle of life. Kentridge strives to create a real and authentic representation of the human experience through a blend of various forms of art, such as drawing, printmaking, film, and performance. He also combines these elements to form a collage that offers a more nuanced and truthful depiction of humanity than a traditional and rigid art form. In his works, people are portrayed as complex, conflicted, and chaotic beings, living in a world that mirrors these characteristics. He suggests that any attempt to have a complete and coherent view of life is likely to be flawed, but nonetheless thought-provoking.

It is self-evident that nothing concerning art is self-evident anymore, not its inner life, not its relation to the world, not even its right to exist.

—Theodor W. Adorno

Kentridge's unique stop-motion animation style using charcoal, which he alternately erases and adds to his drawings, creates a lingering after-image, reminiscent of the vapor trails of airplanes or the remnants of our memories. This technique highlights the idea that even our attempts to make amends will leave an indelible imprint, akin to a shadow that lingers behind.

The drawings don't start with 'a beautiful mark'. It has to be a mark of something out there in the world. It doesn't have to be an accurate drawing, but it has to stand for an observation, not something that is abstract, like an emotion.

— William Kentridge

For me, the most powerful piece from Kentridge's work is the short film "Invisible Mending" (2003), which draws inspiration from George Melies and blends live-action, animation, and classic special effects. In the film, Kentridge takes torn sheets of paper and mends them together to form a full-size charcoal self-portrait. He then erases the smudges and scrawls that obscure the drawing, admiring it before walking out of the frame. The drawing then transforms into his actual figure, which walks away in the opposite direction. The film depicts a group of people who are attempting to repair a broken vase. However, as they work to fix the vase, they only succeed in making the cracks and breaks more pronounced. The vase ultimately shatters, symbolizing the idea that some things cannot be fixed or mended. 

Make it William Kentridge- Still from Invisible Mending (2003), courtesy of the artist.

Kentridge tears apart a drawing of himself before a reverse-­motion effect puts it back together.  These exercises in  self-­portraiture might be read as a retreat from the busy public spheres that provide the  mise-­en-­scène  for many Kentridge pieces, but in another interpretation, they are simply the most explicit examples of a  self-­critical and self-­aware sensibility that lends the artist’s work much of its political efficacy.

Through the film, Kentridge suggests that true healing and reconciliation can only come from facing the difficult truths of the past and working to understand and repair the underlying causes of social and political fracture. The work also intrigues us personally and resonates about the hard graft we need to patch ourselves up following a period of personal turmoil and it provided a comforting image of survival. Despite knowing that this is an illusion created by reversing the film, we can't help but interpret it optimistically, as a sign that recovery from our mistakes is possible.