The tenacious & industrious oxen, Series 7 • Acrylic on canvas • 30.5 cm x 30.5 cm • 2021 • by artjamila
Interpretation: Ox, or oxen in its plural form, are cattle (cows and bulls) that have been trained for work since 4000 BC. They rely on their strength and size to do their jobs that involve ploughing, threshing, transportation, and more. Their large horns are an important feature to their body as they play a huge role in their work. Wild oxen, or aurochs, are extinct and were last seen in 1627 in what is known as Poland today. They used to travel in herds, hence the placement of the oxen in the painting. As for domesticated oxen, they can still be found today in rural areas for farming purposes. This animal is also part of the Chinese zodiac as the second among 11 other animals in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese calendar. The significants of the year of the ox are hard-work, honesty and positivity. People who are born in the year of the ox have similar qualities to an ox, such as being trustworthy, dependable, industrious and more.
Among the Herd
In the light the stars shone
And smiled upon the cattle’s fur.
Theirs horns mesmerizing,
And hooves feeling.
Running across grasslands
And up mountain hills.
The herd a huddle together,
In a place they intimately called home.
The blowing winds
Sing their worries away,
As they sweep out of adversity
And accomplish their dreams.
Poem by: Jemima Shaiful