After years of obscurity, William Kentridge has had her big break.
That’s right — “her”. The 24-year-old female artist from Johannesburg legally changed her name from Roelien Brink to William Kentridge in 2008. And she opened her solo exhibition, America Made in China, at the Johannesburg Art Gallery last Sunday.
Kentridge née Brink’s motive for the change was quite simple — fame. “I wanted to find a way to become as famous as [William Kentridge],” she said. “His work — is far more recognisable than mine and more accessible to the public. This makes it harder for the public to view and appreciate my art; thus, it would take me longer to become famous and recognised.
“I chose his name not as a personal attack or comment on his work, but because of his status and popularity in South Africa.”
She encountered little resistance from home affairs officials, who barely noticed that she was taking on a male name. But other figures of authority expressed concern. “When asked for my ID or driver’s licence by a cop, for example, I’m usually looked at very suspiciously,” she said.
America Made in China attracted much media attention — if only until journalists discovered that there are two William Kentridges.
Kentridge II is uncertain what effect the exhibition will have on her career and public profile. “I think it may be too early to tell. People are becoming more aware of my art and seem to understand the reason for the name change since the show. [Before] it was often perceived as something funny, rather than a conceptual artwork.”
Kentridge I, and his gallery, refused to comment on the emergence of his young blonde double or her exhibition.
Surprisingly, when answering the phone or corresponding by email, Kentridge II uses the name Roelien.
She explains: “I run my own business, which specialises in advertising and printing — [and] I prefer to keep business separate from art. A lot of my friends and family have latched on to the concept, though, and call me William.”