Words - A Collation

William Kentridge has compiled a collection of phrases and sentences from various sources, including Aimé Césaire, Yehuda Amichai, Sigmund Freud, James Joyce, Setswana proverbs, the Book of Ecclesiastes, Tristan Tzaras Dada Manifesto, and eastern European poets, into a studio notebook titled Words. The phrases are arranged without a clear agenda, providing a window into the mind of a contemporary creative genius.

Format: Hardback
Length: 116 pages
Publication date: 10 May 2023
Publisher: Seagull Books London Ltd

Renowned South African artist William Kentridge has amassed a collection of specific phrases and sentences that have resonated with him throughout his reading experiences. These captivating words, which he has documented in a studio notebook titled "Words," have served as a source of inspiration for numerous artistic endeavors. Kentridge often begins a project by perusing the notebook, patiently waiting for a phrase to seize its place within the new work. The text excerpts originate from a diverse range of sources, including Aimé Césaire, Yehuda Amichai, Sigmund Freud, James Joyce, Setswana proverbs, the Book of Ecclesiastes, Tristan Tzaras's Dada Manifesto, and various Eastern European poets. Presented in this volume is a curated selection from the notebook, arranged in a manner that defies randomness or a clear artistic agenda. Instead, they find their place in the interstices between. Crafted with meticulous design by the artist and skillfully produced, "Words" emerges as a thought-provoking collection that offers a glimpse into the mind of a contemporary creative genius.

Over the past several years, renowned South African artist William Kentridge has made a collection of particular phrases and sentences that have called out to him from the pages of whatever he has been reading. And these phrases, which he has written into a studio notebook titled Words, have been put to work in many of his artistic projects. Kentridge has often begun a project by paging through the notebook, waiting for a phrase to claim its place in the new work. The text excerpts come from many sources: Aimé Césaire, Yehuda Amichai, Sigmund Freud, James Joyce, Setswana proverbs, the Book of Ecclesiastes, Tristan Tzaras Dada Manifesto, and a range of eastern European poets. This volume presents a selection made from the notebook, with phrases arranged neither randomly nor with a clear agenda but finding a space in between. Cleverly designed by the artist and beautifully produced, Words is a thought-provoking collection that provides a window to the mind of a contemporary creative genius.

Weight: 624g
Dimension: 223 x 289 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781803092171