William Kentridge: I am not me, the horse is not mine

Curated by Monika Szewczyk and coordinated by Eliza Urwanowicz-Rojecka, “I am not me, the horse is not mine” is a large-scale video installation by renowned South African artist William Kentridge, consisting of eight six-minute films, each accompanied by a soundtrack by Philip Miller. The films — “His Majesty Comrade Nose”, “Prayers of Apology”, “A Lifetime of Enthusiasm”, “Country Dances I (Shadow)”, “Country Dances II (Paper)”, “That Ridiculous Blank Space Again (A One-Minute Love Story)”, “Commissariat for Enlightenment”, and “The Horse is Not Mine” — weave a narrative linked to the Soviet avant-garde, tracing its evolution from the films of the 1920s and 1930s to its catastrophic demise in the mid-1930s.

Kentridge’s signature blend of techniques, including stop-motion animation, live-action sequences, archival footage, moving collage, and shadow play, underscores his intellectual depth, creativity, and artistic freedom. Deeply influenced by the social and political events he witnessed during apartheid in South Africa, Kentridge’s work incisively examines the intricate dynamics of Soviet identity. Created in 2008, this installation holds particular relevance amid current discussions on decolonising Russia’s history and culture.