The Art Piece

The life and movement of Naramat, a female lion in the Maasai Mara, rendered as data architecture. This sculpture, created by Daria Smakhtina, traces four months of the life of this lion, one of two female members of the Lemuny Pride, with the sculpture’s vertical dimension reflecting the animal’s patterns of movement over time.

The Lion

During the four-month period she wore the tracking collar, Naramat utilised most of the northern half of the conservancy, spilling out over its boundary to the east. In total, 7.8% of their time was spent outside the conservancy. The majority of her core area was concentrated along one of the seasonal rivers, which demonstrates the importance of riparian habitat for lions.

The Collection

Tracing The Wild is built from data reflecting the biosocial interactions and
coexistence of lions and human communities in the Mara, and is intended as a way to express the life of these rare predators who are tracked and protected by the innovative conservation organisation Kenya Wildlife Trust.

Nairobi Design Week 2023 Exhibition

This exhibition shines a light on Kenya Wildlife Trust's crucial work stewarding the predator ecosystem of the Mara, and 50% proceeds from sales of all Tracing The Wild artworks benefits Kenya Wildlife Trust’s work directly, with 30% going to the artists and %10 to Nairobi Design and 10% to Sovereign Nature Initiative.