"Enkai's Call" an artwork by Gavalav captures the abstract essence of the Maasai Mara tribes formless deity Enkai through a dynamic interplay of colour, shape, and spiritual symbolism.
The painting combines cubist and neo-expressionist elements to represent the duality of Enkai's nature-Enkai Narok and Enkai Nanyokie.
The central figure, rendered in fragmented, geometric forms, evokes both human and divine qualities, symbolising the ever-present influence of Enkai in the lives of the Maasai. The swirling circles, like ripples in a vast sky, echo the cyclic nature of Maasai spirituality, where life, death, and rebirth are interconnected in eternal loops.
The use of bold black impasto lines contrast against the muted, earth-toned background, reminiscent of the Maasai's landscape-burnt sienna, ochre, and pale green. These colours suggest the arid plains and rain-soaked earth, alluding to the balance between drought and fertility, a duality overseen by Enkai.
The figures' distorted features and abstracted form capture the tribe's belief in a deity without human-like characteristics, reinforcing the omnipresence and mysterious nature of Enkai. The viewer is invited into the flow of Maasai life and spirituality, where Enkai's call reverberates through every element of their world, unseen but deeply felt.