Medusa

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William Kentridge was born in Johannesburg, South Africa to parents who were civil rights attorneys fighting the Apartheid system. His education in politics, African studies, and acting has influenced the strong sense of drama that is evident in Kentridge’s work. In this print, his distorted drawing reveals an image of Medusa reflected in the polished steel cylinder. In this way the print cleverly recalls the classical myth in which Perseus uses his polished shield as a mirror to avoid being turned into stone by the monster he was sent to kill.

Getty AAT

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Academic Themes