| Arlene Amaler- Raviv
LIVESTOCK: A collaboration between painter Arlene Amaler-Raviv and photographer Dale Yudelman,
Livestock was created for the 8th Havana Biennale. From Cuba, the work travelled to the
Henie Onstad Kunstsenter in Oslo, Norway and was then acquired by Standard Bank
as part of their permanent art collection.
LIVESTOCK Overview: Bartering of cattle is the first recorded trade in Southern Africa.
In traditional Africa the people were in control of their wealth and livestock.
Cattle was their measure of wealth and status. The value of money today is determined by international
economies and stock markets. Africa's future is a commodity on the international stock market.
Each Southern african currency's intricate design, patterning and overlaid photographic images
serve as a background for the painted mark. The original notes,worn and torn have passed through
many hands, sharing memories and history of so many human lives.
The artists have produced a limited edition of forty portfolios, each comprising of eleven works
printed on Hahnemuhle paper using archival pigment inks. (Edition of 40: 11 Prints Per Set)
Click on images to enlarge
ANGOLA
The black oil drips over this image, whilst the workers labor in search of oil. Once again the contrastof the wealth of the oil industry and the workers' desperate for their meager pay for survival.
BOTSWANA
She blows the horn of Africa
in the centre of the image. Below her is the symbol of wealth of the nation - the cattle - the labola, their currency.
LESOTHO
The taxis - public transportation, the symbol of gold and the Lesotho blanket in the mid right of the image talk about Lesotho.
MALAWI
Traditionally self sufficient in agricultural production represented by woman grounding her maize. The boys rowing makora and working upon the lake is a symbol of prosperity. The lake nurtures the nation as is the image of the woman above grinding the maize
MOZAMBIQUE
No more fish in the Sea in Mozambique. The politician and the children in the street.
NAMIBIA
Contrast of opulence of diamond mining and politicians, business men and workers and the Himba Woman. Very dry land, difficult to farm agriculturally, symbolized by the dead end road sign in centre of painting.
SOUTH AFRICA
The Iconographic Jo'burg Man, who worked and built our city, the original, is super imposed onto the portait head of Jan Van Riebeck - founder of the Cape of Good Hope. Joburg man celebrates South Africa, carrying his bag of red roses - (tea in South Africa called Five Roses).
SWAZILAND
The proud African woman carrying her baby and her baggage on her head stands on the exquisitely painted crown over the head of the king of Swaziland.
ZAMBIA
Source of the Zambizi river
- source of life.It is young country symbolized by a young African boy looking straight into viewers eyes.The fish eagle is the call of the wild in the wilderness.
ZIMBABWE
A Zimbabwean $20 note, a loaf of bread is painted in oils. At the time this work was created, bread in Zimbabwe cost $20. Foreign exchange details
are represented here from the year 2000.
NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE
This aerial image of the brokers in their environment, the networking, the wires, the internal dynamics of the stock exchange, suggest to the artists the intestines of the cattle/ stock of Africa. Cattle, labola is the symbol of currency and wealth of our African nation