Notes

Man on a Horse by Laurence Chait is a deliberate abstraction and simplification of a subject well-represented in colonial, military, and political art. While the subject is still recognisable – the limbs of the rider and horse are tapered to stumps, and the neck, flanks, and rear of the horse are neatly filled out – the rider is grotesquely rotund. In a personal communication, Chait described the figure as a rotund clown, harking to the current state of humanity. The human animal relationship is a complex one, with humans often in power, but in some cases, animals lend status to the observable influence of an individual. A rider and a horse are in most cases depicted as a form of power – the horse lending height, speed, and a military-esque sense of leadership and command. In Chait’s rendition of this pairing, both human and animal appear abnormal – with some reading this as humorous, as hinted at by Chait, and some reading this as grotesque. This horse has no direction, the rider has no ability to steer, and ultimately, no potential for any sort of thinking.

Literature

Laurence Chait (2017) The Sculpture of Laurence Anthony Chait: An Autobiographical Journey, Johannesburg: Laurence Chait. Illustrated in colour on page 131.