Sloughi-Plastic-Art by Gisela Schwarz about 1990

The sitting Sighthound with its strained back, with its craned neck, the Sighthound in that galloping phase, in which only one hind leg touches the ground, the lying Sighthound with the bend like arched back there are typical movements since all along, which have challenged the sculptors continually to new Sculptures and Plastic-Art.

Also, at working on this Sloughi-Plastic-Art, the slightly arched back of the stretched lying dog fascinated me. The straining makes over to all parts of the body up to the toe - and ear-tips. The neck is highly craned, the glance goes straight ahead in the distance. A consistent figure and unity.

Even if I wanted to create the Sloughi then, that highly aesthetic Arabian Sighthound, so today I see in this Plastic-Art full private things

In the eighties I founded the Sloughi-Breed, Nuri al Baida. Sabra el Djerid was the smart stock-bitch, that personified the typical expression of the Arabian Sighthounds from the countries of origin with her ancestors and descendants. Sabra liked to watch TV-Nature broadcasts lying on the sofa all her life long -with great enthusiasm exactly 45 min in the attitude which that Sloughi-Plastic gives back. Afterwards she always lay down with a sigh and exhausted and slept.

Many, many -years ago Liz von Hübbenet took over the Sloughi-Breed Nuri al Baida and successfully bred on. When I visit her I see Sabra's descendants exactly in that position lying in their beds or on the sofa - curious about me, the visitor or even about the TV. I don't know whether the grand-and great grand sons prefer Nature-broadcasts. In any case Sabra's heritage is clearly felt. Liz von Hübbenet thinks that that Plastic takes after Sabra's son Ussamal Nuri al Baida. I think so, too. Probably this Plastic represents the ideal picture that I had from a Sloughi and still have. In conclusion this type has been preserved for decades.

Gisela Schwarz
August 2006