Eyes of the Wild

Artist: Shahista Shahab Haider Abdi

About the Painting
This painting is a vivid embodiment of the deep-rooted harmony between the human spirit and the wild. Emerging from a thick veil of lush rainforest foliage, a woman’s face gazes forward with calm defiance—her blue eye painted with tribal markings symbolizing ancestral strength and clarity.
Her skin blends into the spotted coat of a leopard, both guardians of the forest’s silence and secrets. Below, two sacred birds—one sky-toned, the other earth-toned—symbolize duality: water and wind, survival and serenity. This visual symphony reflects East Africa’s thriving ecosystems, echoing the Ngorongoro Crater, where spirit, nature, and identity coexist in fierce balance. It’s not just a portrait—it’s the heartbeat of the forest.