Man on sleeping & Man on animal

Tal R draws inspiration for his works from a myriad of visual references, from everyday scenes to Pop culture imagery or works from art history. In the case of the two woodcuts Man on sleeping and Man on animal, a historical photograph of a hunter killing an animal formed the basis of the two motifs.
For Tal R, however, this visual reference merely provides the aesthetic impulse triggering his own artistic treatment of the subject. The theme of the hunt could suggest existential readings, such as the struggle for life and death, or the violent triumph of man over other life forms. Such interpretations are not apparent in Tal R’s woodcuts: the animal is unidentifiable and almost fairytale-like, and as the title suggests, possibly sleeping calmly. The relationship between animal and man radiates an almost symbiotic harmony, illustrating how the final image has emancipated itself from its original reference.