Minki & The Leatherback Turtle - Into The Deep

Johan Steyn

Bronze

107cm x 120cm x 60cm

100kg

Into the Deep - Minki and the Leatherback Turtle
– by Johan Steyn

Minki and the Starfish series continues the story of Minki, the ever-curious little girl whose encounters with the natural world invite us to see it anew - with wonder, openness and trust.

Minki’s journey is rooted in a deep appreciation for South Africa and its extraordinary biodiversity. Through her adventures, she discovers not only the beauty and diversity of marine life, but also the connection between ourselves and the natural world. Each encounter becomes more than a discovery; it becomes a lesson.

In Into the Deep, Minki leaves the safety of the shore and ventures into an unfamiliar world, holding onto the back of a magnificent Leatherback Turtle.

She does not know exactly where the turtle will take her. Yet she holds on without fear. She trusts it completely - and, rather than resisting the uncertainty, she embraces and enjoys the journey.

The image becomes a metaphor for our own lives.

We all, at some point, choose to hold onto something that can take us beyond what we already know. It may be a person, an idea, a belief, a company, a dream or a mission. We place our trust in it and allow it to carry us towards a destination we cannot yet see.

There is always risk in leaving familiar waters. But without that willingness to venture into the unknown, there can be no discovery, change or progress.

Minki is not making the journey alone. The Leatherback Turtle is both her companion and her guide - a creature perfectly at home in a world that is still unfamiliar to her. Their relationship speaks of trust: the courage to let go of complete control and to place confidence in something or someone capable of taking us further.

At the same time, their journey reminds us of our profound connection with the natural world. The Leatherback Turtle is not simply carrying Minki through the ocean; it is introducing her to another world - one whose survival is inseparable from our own.

Into the Deep is ultimately about curiosity, courage and trust.

It reminds us that sometimes we must be prepared to leave the safety of the shore, hold on, trust the journey - and allow ourselves to be taken somewhere we have never been before.