William Kentridge and Homi K. Bhabha in conversation

July 10, 2024
Conversation on the occasion of the world premiere of the chamber opera The Great Yes, The Great No

Artist William Kentridge and Professor Homi Bhabha, one of the most significant thinkers on postcolonialism, discussed the main themes of Kentridge’s opera, including the links between Surrealism and the Négritude literary movement, as well as migration and the anti-colonial struggles of the World War II era.

The textual and visual techniques employed by the artist were also explored, from montage and hybridization to Surrealist, Dadaist, African, and Caribbean inspirations, all of which contribute to the remarkable inventiveness of Kentridge’s new operatic creation.

Conversation between William Kentridge and Homi K. Bhabha

In this filmed conversation, William Kentridge and Homi K. Bhabha share their perspectives on the historical and aesthetic questions that shape the artist’s work. Their exchange highlights the circulation of ideas between European avant-gardes and twentieth-century Black thought, while revisiting the displacements, exiles, and anti-colonial struggles that marked the World War II era.

The discussion also sheds light on the making of the work itself: collages, layered compositions, and visual and narrative fragments come together to form a distinctive language shaped by multiple influences. Moving between artistic legacies and contemporary reinvention, this conversation offers a clear insight into the genesis and imaginative worlds behind Kentridge’s new operatic creation.

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