Notes

Angus Taylor is known in South Africa and abroad for his powerful, often large, works of sculpture characterised by outstanding craftsmanship. Taylor is a graduate of the University of Pretoria which bestowed an Alumni Laureate on him in 2005.

“This is a sculpture of a beast of burden - a reclining donkey shaped and defined by Latin text. The satirical opinion I offer, ‘because this is written in Latin it is not clever’ is repeatedly imprinted and embossed in the sculpture. The donkey is a favourite metaphor of mine. For example, in another piece of mine titled 'Lady on a donkey’ I counterbalance the traditional 'Hero on the Horse' so abundantly seen in public statues. Donkeys are indigenous to Africa, and I prefer to work within my own context. There is nothing grand about a donkey nor is the text important. The sculpture, being cast in bronze, humorously questions the relevance and considered value of high art and how we value things in general, therefore signifies a little anti-monument."