Described by London’s Royal Academy as South Africa’s most celebrated artist, William Kentridge works in mediums that include black-and-white etchings, dance, sculpture, and woven tapestry. He’s also written the librettos for operas, created puppet theater, and animated short films. Kentridge was born in Johannesburg and his early work was created in the 1980s, against the political backdrop of South African apartheid. “William Kentridge: In Praise of Shadow,” overseen by Ed Schad, The Broad’s lead curator, marks the artist’s first major Los Angeles exhibition in more than two decades, and features more than 130 works loaned from galleries and private collections across the United States and South Africa. —B.A.