William Kentridge's 'The Head & the Load' Premieres at Tate Modern

South African artist William Kentridge (born 1955) premiered his epic performance 'The Head & the Load' at Tate Modern's Turbine Hall in London from July 11 to 15, 2018, as part of the 14-18 NOW program. The work combines music, dance, shadow theater, film projections, and mechanized sculptures to explore the role of Africa and its people in World War I. It highlights how many Africans were forced to fight for colonial powers—British, French, and German—often deceived with promises of rights that were never fulfilled. The title derives from a Ghanaian proverb: 'The head and the load are the troubles of the neck,' referencing both the physical burdens carried across Africa and the heavier weight of colonialism. Kentridge stated, 'In a world where good logic has failed, you must find an illogic—use the absurd not as a joke but as a way to show that logic has gone up in smoke.' The full performance was made available on the Tate website from July 21 to August 20, 2018. Kentridge is known for his charcoal drawings, tapestries, installations, opera sets, and animated films addressing slavery, war, politics, and South African history.