William Kentridge Exhibition Review

My initial thought to the William Kentridge exhibition at The Royal Academy of Art’s was that it provided little inspiration towards my own work due to the vast differences I initially felt. As I continued throughout the exhibition however, I began to fee truly immersed into the story telling, and I ultimately discovered pieces of Kentridge’s work which I felt like I could relate to.

In a stark contrast to the abstract work, in which he portrays within his early drawings, I was drawn towards the gallery showcasing artworks inspired by flowers. I was drawn in because to their alarming size, realism, and intricate detail. Personally, I am a huge advocate for greenery and flowers within interiors because of the life they bring to the space. Asides from this, I was amazed by the sheer scale of these artworks. Having previously studied fine art, and experimented with ink on paper, I couldn’t comprehend working on such a scale with this medium.

I particularly liked the layout of space in Gallery 7 and how these large artworks were displayed. Although the room is very large, I didn’t feel small within it, and being able to go up close to these amazing drawings was incredible. This ultimately will help to inform how I would design spaces with large scale objects in the future.