"Buffalo Soldier"

The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. Old solitary males, nicknamed 'dagga boys', are particularly unpredictable. The 'boss' — the broad horn-base that fuses together at the top of the skull — is the mark of the adult and one of the most recognisable animal forms on the continent.

It is coming straight towards us. No flight, no hesitation — only this frontal mass, the boss dominating the head, the eyes sunk beneath the horns. The frontal choice is deliberate: it is the only angle that gives the full amplitude of the horns and the full threat of the silhouette. The drawing does not seek the beauty of the buffalo — it seeks its weight.