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Label Text Zeno Writing is the latest, most complex, and psychologically jarring of Kentridge's fllm projects. Based on the classic 1923 Italian novel Confessions of Zeno by Italo Svevo, the work combines all of his approaches to image making--the animation of charcoal drawings and torn paper puppets, smoke and archival film footage--with a haunting musical score by Kevin Volans and a libretto by Jane Taylor. The film portrays Zeno, a guilt-ridden figure in psychoanalysis, as he wrestles ith his demons, including smoking and adultery. Kentridge compares the isolation and despair of Zeno's home city of Trieste, Italy, after World War I, with his own, Johannesburg, South Africa, in the 1980s. Zeno Writing was premiered at the major forum of international art, Documenta XI, in 2002. Source: NEWS July August September 2003
DimensionsRunning Time: 11min. 16sec.
Accession Number 2003.2
Classificationstime based media
CopyrightPurchased with funds from the Coffin Fine Arts Trust; Nathan Emory Coffin Collection of the Des Moines Art Center, 2003.2

Images (4)

Film Still: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Film Still: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Film Still: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Film Still: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Zeno Writing
Film Still: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Film Still: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Bill Viola
2000
Image courtesy of the artist and James Cohan, New York.
Tuan Andrew Nguyen
2020
Film Still: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Anna Gaskell
2006
Film still from Luhring Augustine, New York
Ragnar Kjartansson
2001
Film Still
Martha Rosler
1975
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
William Kentridge
date unknown
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
William Kentridge
date unknown
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Bruce Nauman
1969
Film Still: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Anna Gaskell
2006
Film Still: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Ann Hamilton
2000