A Natural History of the Studio

Biographical Note:

Born in 1955 in Johannesburg, South Africa, William Kentridge is one of the world's foremost contemporary artists. His work spans drawing, film, performance, and opera, and is presented at leading institutions worldwide. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Kyoto Prize, and holds honorary doctorates from Yale, Columbia University, and The University of London. He lives and works in Johannesburg.

Praise for William Kentridge:

"A melancholy genius of the great tradition, William Kentridge asks the big questions."--Artforum

"It is impossible to leave thinking that Kentridge is anything less than one of the greatest artists of his generation."--Frieze on the exhibit William Kentridge at the Royal Academy

"[Kentridge's] inimitable art remains so compelling and urgent because it demonstrates the universal need to address inequity and social justice everywhere throughout the world, not just in his native South Africa."--Gary Tinterow, Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, on the exhibit William Kentridge: In Praise of Shadows

"William Kentridge brings a profound humanism and collaborative spirit to every aspect of his work. He surveys the world around us with an attentive and critical eye, uncovering stories that are at once viscerally personal and universally relatable."--Alison de Lima Greene, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, on the exhibit William Kentridge: In Praise of Shadows

"[Kentridge's] work is a revelation...It's a road map to how a studio can function and how an artist can think through substantial social issues and bigger historical narratives without being didactic."--Ed Schad, curator at The Broad Museum of Los Angeles, on the exhibit William Kentridge: In Praise of Shadows

"[This] is an enlightening, circuitous, and self-reflexive performance that delves into [Kentridge's] greatest obsessions in the realms of art, politics, history, and image-making... This is an essential book for anybody seeking a better understanding of Kentridge's work."--Publishers Weekly on Six Drawing Lessons

"Anyone who has seen the film animations of the great South African artist will be fascinated by the account he gives of his thinking and studio practice."--Kenneth Baker, San Francisco Chronicle on Six Drawing Lessons

"This is a beautiful and necessary book in all respects... Enthusiastically recommended."--S. Skaggs, Choice on Six Drawing Lessons

Review Citations:

• Publishers Weekly 02/02/2026 (EAN 9780802167255, Hardcover)