THE Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art in Beijing has just opened an extensive retrospective of the work of William Kentridge. The exhibition runs until August 20, and opens in Seoul, South Korea in early December.

The retrospective, Notes Towards a Model Opera, spans 25 years of Kentridge’s artistic practice and is the result of growing interest in Kentridge’s work in Asia.

Since 2011, when conversations regarding this retrospective between Goodman Gallery and esteemed curator Phillip Tinari began, Kentridge embarked on creating a work specific to China. His research culminated in the production of a three channel film entitled Notes Towards a Model Opera. Rooted in extensive research into the intellectual, political and social history of modern China, from the poet Lu Xun to revolutionary theatre, the project explores dynamics of cultural diffusion and metamorphosis through the formal prism of the eight model operas of the Cultural Revolution.

The retrospective also includes key pieces to enable viewers to understand the trajectory and the evolution of Kentridge’s social and humanistic concerns: Kentridge’s early Soho Eckstein films, related drawings, multimedia installations, and recent ink drawings. The exhibition provides the viewer with a full presentation of Kentridge’s 10 Soho Eckstein animated films, which were key to establishing his renown as an artist, as well as drawings from each film.

The success of Kentridge’s work in Asia has steadily gained ground, with works previously included in important Asian collections since 2008 (including the prestigious National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea, and Sifang Art Museum, Nanjing collections). In 2010 Kentridge was recipient of the Kyoto Prize for Arts and Philosophy, and in 2011 Goodman Gallery exhibited a solo exhibition of Kentridge’s work at Art HK.

After previewing at the Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art in Beijing, this retrospective will travel to various other museums in Asia, including the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Seoul), and Sifang Art Museum (Nanjing).