Kadishman's interest in sheep stems from his early experience as a shepherd on a Kibbutz in the 1950s. Ever since he painted the backs of sheep and used them as a living palette at the 1978 Venice Biennale, they have figured prominently in his work. The sheep has evolved from a local, pastoral image to a symbol reflecting the artist's search for identity and attachment to the land where flocks have grazed since Biblical times. Ultimately, such works are a way for Kadishman to express his ambivalence about the Zionist dream.