Shadow Procession (1999)

“Procession” is a repeated motif in Kentridge’s work. The artist here adapts a multi-media approach in an exploration unfolding in flat, horizontal space. The theme of Shadow Procession harkens to Plato’s allegory of the cave in The Republic—prisoners of the dark cave awaiting a philosopher king, who suffers the ethical dilemma of adopting violence to save his companions. Constructed from torn fragments of paper, these silhouettes yield greater visual interest than hard-contoured depictions. The characters are residents of Johannesburg, casting a shade of historical realism onto this ancient story. Shadow Procession was first exhibited at the Shanghai Biennale in 2000, marking the beginning of a dialogue in China regarding Kentridge’s work.