WILLIAM KENTRIDGE (B. 1955)Drawing from the History of the Main Complaint 1996 signed and dated '96charcoal and pastel on paper123 by 160 cm.48 7/16 by 63 in.Footnotes:ProvenanceAnnandale Galleries, SydneyPrivate Collection, SydneyAcquired directly from the above by the present ownerLiterature Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, William Kentridge, Brussels 1998, p. 112, illustrated in colour Dan Cameron, Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, J.M. Coetzee, William Kentridge, London 1999, p. 87, illustrated in colourCaptivating and poignant, Drawing for the Main Complaint is one of twenty-one large-scale drawings constituting Kentridge's film, 'History of the Main Complaint.' The present work's expansive scale and gestural execution coupled with its thematic exploration of apartheid, colonialism, memory, and time firmly establish Kentridge as a significant artist who has made a compelling contribution to contemporary art. Other drawings from the film are housed in esteemed collections such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, affirming the importance of the present work, and of Kentridge's stature as one of today's most notable living artists. In the present work Kentridge is rendering a striking portrayal of an austere black-and-white hospital ward with curtains drawn around a solitary bed, revealing only two discernible hints of red and blue – red in the light on the wall to the right and blue in the bowl of water to the left. These sparingly applied colours carry profound aesthetic and allegorical significance, transforming into a device imbued with powerful symbolism. Drawing lies at the core of Kentridge's artistic practice. 'I guess it all starts from charcoal drawings; you can change charcoal as quickly as you can change your mind. There's a flexibility and granularity that I really like.' (the artist in an interview with Tate, London, William Kentridge – 'Art Must Defend the Uncertain' | Artist Interview | TateShots, youtube.com/Tate, 20 April 2018) This immediacy becomes palpable in the artwork, where the velvety smudged lines and sooty surface coalesce to deliver a tactile and evocative visual experience. Each drawing represents a singular scene within the animation, changing subtly through the swift process of erasing and redrawing with each new image photographed in 16 or 35-mm film. The lingering imprints of these stages on the paper transcend their physicality, emerging as an important metaphor for the layering of memory, a central and resonant theme that permeates Kentridge's extensive body of work. Kentridge comments further on his unique and labour-intensive process, 'The technique I use is to have a sheet of paper stuck up on the studio wall and, halfway across the room, my camera, usually an old Bolex. A drawing is started on the paper, I walk across to the camera, shoot one or two frames, walk back to the paper, change the drawing (marginally), walk back to the camera, walk back to the paper, to the camera, and so on. So that each sequence as opposed to each frame of the film is a single drawing. In all, there may be twenty drawings to a film rather than the thousands one expects. It is more like making a drawing than making a film (albeit a grey, battered, and rubbed-out drawing). Once the film, editing, adding sound, music, and so on proceeds like any other.' (the artist in: C. Christov-Bakargiev, William Kentridge, Brussels 1998, pp. 61-64).Hypnotic and deeply moving, Kentridge's films go beyond politics to express a profound humanitarian perspective. They are a powerful collection of images tapping into a shared consciousness. Viewed collectively, these films evoke a lingering, almost overwhelming sadness extending beyond the confines of Johannesburg. 'History of the Main Complaint' is featured in many prominent publications and holds a pivotal place in Kentridge's filmography. Editions of the film are found in the collections of prestigious institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York and Tate London.Drawing from the Main Complaint features in the sixth film, 'History of the Main Complaint,' which spans 5 minutes and 50 seconds. It is a part of Kentridge's ongoing series of animations entitled 'Drawings for Projection,' initiated in 1989. Created in 1996 during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's initial hearings in post-apartheid South Africa, 'History of the Main Complaint' delves into the profound social and historical wounds inflicted by apartheid. The Commission, established under Archbishop Desmond Tutu, aimed to address human rights abuses during the apartheid era through public hearings where individuals recounted personal suffering for reparation and reconciliation. Kentridge's film centres on the theme of white responsibility, portraying a 'medical' investigation into Soho Eckstein, a white property-developing magnate, and the protagonist in preceding films. As Soho lies comatose in a hospital ward, weighed down by the burdens of his past actions and those implicated by his race and class, MRIs and CAT scans visually articulate his affliction. Memories of violence against black South Africans permeate the screen, reflecting the intricate interplay between individual and collective guilt. Soho's awakening from his coma hinges on acknowledging his personal responsibility, embodying a powerful revelation of conscience within the broader narrative of societal healing and historical reckoning. Kentridge's work has been exhibited in renowned museums and galleries worldwide since the 1990s, including the Albertina Museum in Vienna, Musée du Louvre in Paris, Whitechapel Gallery in London, Louisiana Museum in Copenhagen, the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid, the Kunstmuseum in Basel, Zeitz MOCAA, and the Royal Academy of Arts in London. He has also been featured multiple times in Documenta in Kassel (2012, 2002, 1997) and the Venice Biennale (2015, 2013, 2005, 1999, and 1993).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * AR* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
