Artist: Melissa Tshikamba
Title: Ancestral guardian
Medium: Oil
Artist Statement: This painting honors my Congolese heritage and my family’s spiritual traditions, rooted in precolonial Congo. Rather than depicting an individual god or goddess, I chose the leopard to reflect a belief in one great God whose presence exists throughout creation. Revered for its strength and association with sacred authority, the leopard connects the earth with spiritual power. Its presence here also honors the importance of communicating with ancestors in Congolese tradition—the understanding that they remain connected to the living, offering guidance and protection. This ancestral relationship continues to be a vital part of my family’s tradition.