William Kentridge's 40-metre dance against death at Malaga Picasso Museum

From outside the hall, the sound of trumpets from the procession echoes faintly, acting as a call, a beckoning to enter. Visitors cross a small, dark corridor, their eyes adjusting gradually to what lies ahead. Then the spectacle begins: 40 metres of a continuous, unbroken procession that celebrates life through the lens of death. William Kentridge returns to Malaga with More Sweetly Play the Dance, a "magnificent" video installation spanning eight screens. Blending filmed images, animated drawings and music, it serves as both a poignant acknowledgment of mortality and a powerful act of defiance against it.

The South African artist, who introduced the piece in a video shown at the presentation, brings together history, identity and memory in this project, which first took shape in 2015 during the Ebola health crisis. It was a time when the world witnessed, for the first time, healthcare workers fully covered in protective suits as they removed bodies from the streets or accompanied patients dragging IV drips in tragic processions. Kentridge captures this stark reality through video and animation across giant screens, led by the sounds of a brass band and punctuated by the powerful movements of South African choreographer Dada Masilo.

Thanks to the vibrant, jazz-infused rhythms of the Immanuel Assemblies Brass Band and the African-rooted dance, Kentridge turns tragedy into something entirely different. He draws on a medieval belief from the time of the plague, which took lives indiscriminately, from Popes and priests to emperors, merchants and children. According to the belief, "if you kept dancing, the plague would skip over your village and move on to the next". In this way, the dance of death becomes a "dance against death".

The concept of resilience can be applied to any critical moment in human history. The artist reflects on how, in 2020, the installation gained new significance during the Covid pandemic, with the reappearance of protective suits and masks. "And now, in 2024, we cannot ignore the echoes of the countless people forced to flee their homes due to wars in the Middle East, Sudan and Congo," Kentridge stated.

This work, from the Fundació Sorigué collection, offers the Malaga Picasso Museum an opportunity to connect a contemporary artist with the legacy of Picasso. It highlights many similarities between them, including their focus on the human condition and the use of the colour black in their drawings.

"Picasso would have been captivated by the movement Kentridge creates, using the potential of video and music. A piece like this would have deeply moved him," said Miguel López-Remiro, the museum's artistic director.

On display in Malaga until 27 April, the piece features an immersive setup with wooden chairs resembling a classroom.

"It broadens our view of contemporary art, addressing themes of drama, loss and death," said López-Remiro who was accompanied by the foundation's president Ana Vallés and José Ángel Vélez, secretary general for museums at the Junta de Andalucía.