UBU: ± 101

1997

William Kentridge

Associated Names
William Kentridge
Artist, South African, born 1955
Robert Hodgins
Artist, British, 1920 - 2010
Deborah Bell
Artist, South African, born 1957
Caversham Press
Publisher, founded 1985
This is a photograph of a textual design. The image features the words "UBU centenaire" written in red ink towards the top center. Below, the text reads "Histoire d'un farceur criminel" in blue font. The design is set against an off-white background.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    portfolio of eight intaglio prints on Fabriano paper plus title page

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Thomas G. Klarner

  • Accession Number

    2005.64.1.1-24

Associated Artworks

See all 24 artworks
The image displays a mixture of sharp and curved lines depicting an abstract humanoid figure under a showerhead with water flowing down. The scene is labeled "ACT 1 scene 1" in text at the top left corner. An abstract bird and a bowl are also present in the composition.

Act II, Scene 1, from Ubu Tells the Truth

William Kentridge, Caversham Press
1996
The image shows a series of sweeping lines forming abstract shapes. One large, cone-like shape curves across the scene, connecting to a figure of a distorted human bending backward. In the background, a bicycle's outline and a bottle are visible among the abstract forms. The words "ACT I Scene 2" are inscribed in the upper left corner.

Act I, Scene 2, from Ubu Tells the Truth

William Kentridge, Caversham Press
1996
This is a painting of a humanoid skeleton-like figure and a human-like figure interacting on a stage. The painting depicts a scene set on a wooden floor with a backdrop marked "ACT II" and "scene 5". The humanoid skeleton-like figure is outlined in white against a dark background and features a spiral in the midsection, with simple line drawings indicating arms and legs. Beside it, a more detailed, texture-rich human-like figure stands with an assertive pose, reaching out towards the skeleton. Bizarre line art elements such as a simple chair and an abstract line suggest the floor and possible props. This is in the style of Jean Dubuffet, marked by an unrefined, raw artistic aesthetic, emphasizing primitive forms and a focus on the interaction between the two entities.

Act II, Scene 5, from Ubu Tells the Truth

William Kentridge, Caversham Press
1996

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Robert Brown Gallery, Arlington, October 5, 2000); purchased by Tom Klarner, Washington, DC, 2001; gift to NGA, 2005.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1997

  • Doepel, Rory. UBU: ± 101: William Kentridge, Robert Hodgins, Deborah Bell. Johannesburg, 1997.

2006

  • Krut, David, and Susan Stewart. William Kentridge Prints. Johannesburg, South Africa: David Krut Publishing, 2006, pp. 60-63.

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