William Kentridge at SF MoMA

One of the many perks of working in downtown San Francisco is the accessibility I have to the SF MoMA. Located just three blocks away from my office, I often take advantage of my membership by making brief visits during my lunch break. We lost our beautiful sunny weather today, so as a result of the gray skies and spring showers I took my co-worker to the William Kentridge show. This was my second time experiencing the exhibit — and I emphasize that it truly is an "experience" — and it proved to be even more impressive and overwhelming than my initial visit. Unfamiliar with William Kentridge's work I went into the exhibit with zero expectations. And I left exhausted and haunted. Kentridge is a South African artist who uses a broad range of multi-media to create highly conceptual, dark and emotional imagery. Kentridge's narratives draw from his response to the tumultuous political state in South Africa.I'm still in awe over the ambitious exhibit which encompassed large scale charcoal drawings, etchings, collage, sculpture, and film. And most importantly, I found it interesting how each piece (despite the drastically different medium) related to and tied into one another so effortlessly. Throughout the series of rooms there were four different dark, ominous rooms that showcased his films ranging in animation to footage of the artist himself. Some of the footage was frightening, whereas other clips were mesmerizing and calming. However, despite the few calming clips the overall feeling once you exit the show is discomfort and exhaustion. Which left me with one thought: "Shit, this dude's got a lot going on in his head."

View a series of short clips of William Kentridge speaking about his work here. ••••