Menashe Kadishman

In Sheep A, 1979, Menashe Kadishman presents a screenprinted photograph of a flock of sheep, accented with outlines and details on some of the sheep, and a chain of blue dots indicating a border around them. Alongside his studies in Israel, Menashe Kadishman worked as a shepherd on n Kibbutz Ma'ayan Baruch. This work had a profound influence on his artistic practice, and eventually Kadishman became well-known for his flock of ‘sheep portraits’. These screenprints followed Kadishman’s exhibit for the 1978 Venice Biennale: a flock of live painted sheep, and himself in the role of shepherd, as a ‘living sculpture’.

• Artist Menashe Kadishman
• Artwork Sheep A
• Date of work 1979
• Credit Original: Screenprint on paper 65 x 76.2 cm Tate. Presented by Rose and Crhis Prater 1979 © Menashe Kadishman, courtesy www.kadishman.com

Menashe Kadishman (1932 – 2015) was an Israeli artist, working in sculpture and paint. Born in Mandate Palestine, Kadishman studied first with the Israeli sculptor Moshe Sternschuss at the Avni Institute of Art and Design in Tel Aviv, and then in Jerusalem with the Israeli sculptor Rudi Lehmann. Alongside these studies, he worked as a shepherd to support his family, his father having died when Kadishman was 15. In 1959, he moved to London, where he studied art at both Saint Martin's School of Art and the Slade School of Art, and with Anthony Caro and Reg Butler. His work won 11 awards from 1960–2002, and his sculptures, paintings and public installation works are held in collections all over the world. Several pieces form part of Tate’s collection.

• Product Code S22184