Sanayvi Naik was born in Bandora, a small village in Ponda-Goa. He did his graduation from the Goa College of Art and post-graduation in Sculpture from MSU Baroda. His works are a satirical commentary on the socio, political day–to–day events he comes across. Naik has won the State Art Award in the Artist Category at the 47th State Art Exhibition (2022-23). He has also participated in numerous exhibitions, with his work selected for the Goa Open Arts Festival (2024) and the Fundação Oriente Visual Arts Award (FOVAA 2023).

The artwork “Earth Holds the Tiger” is a terracotta mountain sculpture reflecting the fragile yet enduring bond between human life and the natural world. Terracotta, a raw, earthen and delicate material, symbolizes both ecological vulnerability and the earth’s quiet resilience. Tigers emerge as a relief from the mountain’s surface, accompanied by a separate tiger sculpture. The block-like outer form embodies imposed human structures, contrasting with the organic inner mountain.

The personal connection stems from his response to the urgent need for ecological preservation and recognition, particularly in relation to Goa’s Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary. His work invites viewers to reflect on impermanence, preservation, and nature’s quiet yet persistent resistance to erasure, revealed through the contrast between human interference and nature’s enduring strength.