Wildlife

"Palanca Negra Gigante - Giant Sable" - Hippotragus niger variani - stainless steel. (shown)

2012   stainless steel   edition of eleven   h.14"/36cm
G...Read More2012   stainless steel   edition of eleven   h.14"/36cm
GIANT SABLE ANTELOPE  - PALANCA NEGRA GIGANTE  Hippotragus niger variani
The most magnificent antelope, the dream animal of naturalists and hunters, the national animal of Angola. A tough survivor of a civil war lasting twenty three years. It gave me so much pleasure researching and making this sculpture. I am very familiar with Sable Antelope, having studied and observed them in Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Botswana for seventeen years. My wife, Robyn And I visited the great country of Angola in 2005. We did not see ant Palanca Preta but the seed to make a sculpture of this great animal was planted. After several attempts I seem to have had the right vision. Well, this is it - I wanted it standing with its front feet higher, one foot slightly raised as ready to stomp the ground and saying " This is my land and I am going to stay!" The raised lines on the base represent the rivers of Angola and the fertility they spread from the high mountains to the Atlantic Ocean and the Okavango Swamp in Botswana.


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