UBU TELLS THE TRUTH
WILLIAM KENTRIDGE
35 MM COLOR FILM, WITH SOUND
1997
"Ubu Tells The Truth" is known as his most violent work. Kentridge used his traditional method of charcoal drawings to express human rights violations as well as oppressed voices in society. He also incorporated short pieces of documentary films in this piece of art. "Ubu tells the Truth" was created from a series of eight etchings. In these drawings, Kentridge never fully erased the image he drew. When creating the next scene in his film, he would erase parts of the image then add layers of charcoal to create the next clip in his film.
This short film was inspired by a play called "Ubu Roi" created by Alfred Jarry in 1896. Instead of having Ubu as the main protagonist he created a tripod which stands for "witnesses of human rights violations under apartheid" (Ando). He uses this character to express his political views against the South African apartheid regime, and the violent attacks that citizens encountered from the police force.
Kentridge also uses short historical clips of South African police forces and other officials violently charging unarmed apartheid protestors. This part of the film is what makes this known as his most violent work, he had etched characters being shot, blown up, hanged, and thrown off buildings. While these short clips are playing, he uses the tripod to create a witness of the events. This violence is used as a "focal point for young, educated, white South Africans to protest the injustice of apartheid" (Molesworth). Kentridge used this film to educate those around him of the brutal violence that occurred during apartheid that isn't often showed in art.
The music Kentridge has added to go along with the film adds a level of suspense. The music can add emphasis on certain scenes such as explosions of characters and music when people are attacked. During the scenes that Kentridge shows the police force, the music stands out because it is fast paced and adds fear. This feeling makes it clear that the police force was abusing power and violating human rights, which is what Kentridge looked to show in his films of the apartheid era.
Bibliography:
WILLIAM KENTRIDGE
35 MM COLOR FILM, WITH SOUND
1997
"Ubu Tells The Truth" is known as his most violent work. Kentridge used his traditional method of charcoal drawings to express human rights violations as well as oppressed voices in society. He also incorporated short pieces of documentary films in this piece of art. "Ubu tells the Truth" was created from a series of eight etchings. In these drawings, Kentridge never fully erased the image he drew. When creating the next scene in his film, he would erase parts of the image then add layers of charcoal to create the next clip in his film.
This short film was inspired by a play called "Ubu Roi" created by Alfred Jarry in 1896. Instead of having Ubu as the main protagonist he created a tripod which stands for "witnesses of human rights violations under apartheid" (Ando). He uses this character to express his political views against the South African apartheid regime, and the violent attacks that citizens encountered from the police force.
Kentridge also uses short historical clips of South African police forces and other officials violently charging unarmed apartheid protestors. This part of the film is what makes this known as his most violent work, he had etched characters being shot, blown up, hanged, and thrown off buildings. While these short clips are playing, he uses the tripod to create a witness of the events. This violence is used as a "focal point for young, educated, white South Africans to protest the injustice of apartheid" (Molesworth). Kentridge used this film to educate those around him of the brutal violence that occurred during apartheid that isn't often showed in art.
The music Kentridge has added to go along with the film adds a level of suspense. The music can add emphasis on certain scenes such as explosions of characters and music when people are attacked. During the scenes that Kentridge shows the police force, the music stands out because it is fast paced and adds fear. This feeling makes it clear that the police force was abusing power and violating human rights, which is what Kentridge looked to show in his films of the apartheid era.
Bibliography:
- Erica Ando. "William Kentridge: Five Themes (review)." Utopian Studies 21.2 (2010): 332-336. Project MUSE. Web. 7 Apr. 2015.
- Molesworth, Charles. "Ethnography, Art, and Justice: The Example of William Kentridge." Salmagundi.152 (2006): 38,45,224. ProQuest. Web. 8 Apr. 2015.
Dir. William Kentridge. Ubu Tells the Truth. YouTube, 9 June 2014. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.