Shiwoohamba’s ‘Owls of Namibia’

In some cultures, owls are seen as a symbol of bad luck. Notorious for keeping the company of witches or being harbingers of death, to some, the wise and knowing owl is more frightening than intriguing.

Not so for artist Elia Shiwoohamba who places the bird centre stage in his print and sculpture exhibition at Le Petit Paris at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre.

Displaying a distinct curiosity about the aves in carefully hewn stone likenesses and captioned prints, in ‘Owls of Namibia’, the artist introduces patrons to some of the country’s nocturnal wanderers such as the ginger Pel’s Fishing Owl and formidable Eagle Owl.

Presented as hovering over prey, nesting or huddled in parliament, in ‘Owls of Namibia’ Shiwoohamba depicts the creatures in varying states and compositions. A little eerie given the repetition and inherently spooky nature of owls, the creatures stare from the walls in a solo exhibition that is little more than an ode to fascination.

Spellbound by the wandering birds from a young age, the Windhoek-born artist and John Muafangejo Art Centre alumnus researched the country’s owls over a period of 10 years, meticulously answering questions about the creatures as enshrined in the premiere piece on Le Petit Paris’ terrace:

Where are their nests? Where do they live? What do they eat? What do their feathers, faces and eyes look like?

Modest, skillfully wrought but conceptually pedestrian, ‘Owls of Namibia’ will offer some fleeting diversion to patrons who may very well view the artist’s vibrant renderings of owls clutching rats or stalking lizards and think fondly of Shiwoohamba’s ornithology.