This summer we are thrilled to be presenting a major exhibition by South African artist William Kentridge. It marks the first museum presentation outside South Africa to focus on his sculpture.

Comprising over 40 works made between 2007 and 2024, this ambitious project fills the Underground Gallery, with outdoor works presented in the surrounding gardens.

Over the last two decades, sculpture has increasingly become a key part of Kentridge’s practice, taking drawing into three dimensions and developing from puppetry, film and stage props. This exciting new exhibition includes a selection of the artist’s sculpture from this period across different scales and media, including bronze, steel, paper, cardboard, plaster, wood and found objects.

Several works are on display for the first time, including a new commission of six monumental coloured sculptures, Paper Procession, on parade in YSP’s historic landscape.

Here you will also experience the first institutional presentation of Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot (2020-24), a series of films whose production began during the first Covid-19 lockdown, as well as the UK museum debut of the 7-channel film, More Sweetly Play the Dance (2015).

In the landscape, several large-scale bronzes are shown against the backdrop of a curving early 19th-century brick wall of the Bothy Garden. Each over three metres in height, these sculptures include a striding figure with megaphone head, an ampersand, and a cat.

Read the press release to find out more.

William Kentridge is known for his work across a range of media, including drawing, animated films, theatre and opera productions. His practice questions grand narratives from history, politics, science, literature and music, alongside an ongoing interrogation of the legacy of colonialism. His work references avant-garde movements such as Dada and Surrealism in his celebration of the illogical and darkly humorous. Kentridge has lived in Johannesburg throughout his life and his work is inextricably connected to the sociopolitical history and life of South Africa.

The exhibition is made possible through the generosity of the Sakana Foundation, Goodman Gallery, Hauser & Wirth, and Lia Rumma Gallery. Supported by the kind philanthropy of the William Kentridge Exhibition Circle. Logistics partner: Crozier Fine Arts. Additional support: Stonehage Fleming.

William Kentridge Exhibition Circle: Anonymous Supporters; The Bukhman Foundation; Meena Chugani; Werner Dubach and Ruth Müller-Stein; E-Len and David Fu; Jill Hackel and Andrzej Zarzycki; and Scheherazade Collection.

Exhibition Accessibility

The exhibition is located in the Underground Gallery and outdoors in the surrounding garden. The outdoor sculptures are accessed via a gravel path in front of the gallery and around the Bothy Garden. Off-road mobility scooters are available to hire free of charge, please contact info@ysp.org.uk to reserve one for your visit.

There are three gallery spaces within the Underground Gallery, with flat access throughout. Gallery one and Gallery three are lit with both natural and artificial light. Gallery two is a dark room, lit by seven screens showing films with moving images and audio played through speakers. Ear defenders are available to borrow if required. 

Bench seating is available in Gallery two and the gallery concourse. Additional seating is available in The Studio, located at the far end of the gallery. There are no public toilet facilities in the Underground Gallery. The nearest toilets can be located in the Bothy Garden or Visitor Centre.

Accessibility Resources

The following resources are available for this exhibition. If you would like to make use of any of them, just ask a member of YSP staff.

• Large Print interpretation
• Braille interpretation
• Coloured transparencies for reading
• Ear Defenders (these are also available at the YSP Information Desk)
• Timers

Handling Materials

The artwork in this exhibition is too delicate to touch, so handling materials are available for visitors to feel and hold instead.

Family activities

In the Underground Gallery, you’ll find a variety of creative activities designed to help you and your own family connect to the themes and artworks in the exhibition. Make sure to visit The Studio at the far end of the gallery, where you'll find a host of activities for all ages to enjoy together, a related collection of books or learn more about William Kentridge’s practice..

Families with young children can enjoy drawing, making and chatting together, using our playful Activity Baskets which can be found inside the gallery. Pick up an activity card to help you explore, or download them below to help you prepare for your visit.

William Kentridge Products

Browse the William Kentridge collection at YSP Shop.