William Kentridge’s A Nicely Built City (Never Resists Destruction) premieres in London this September at Goodman Gallery London.

Several months before completing the film, Kentridge sat down with Sean O’Toole to reflect on a work that was still in the process of taking shape.

The twelfth film in Kentridge’s Drawings for Projection series (1989–present), A Nicely Built City continues a body of work the artist has developed over nearly four decades, with each film emerging through the open-ended processes of drawing and erasure.

This September, Goodman Gallery London presents the global premiere of the completed film alongside a wide-ranging exhibition of new drawings, sculptures and editioned works on paper, including new work connected to Kentridge’s recent production of Claudio Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo at the 2026 Glyndebourne Festival.

Here, Kentridge reflects on A Nicely Built City (Never Resists Destruction) while the film was still taking shape.

William Kentridge
A Nicely Built City
Goodman Gallery London
24 September – 7 November 2026

Preview: Thursday 24 September from 6pm