Takeinivula Creation Series – A bird, a fish and me (2002) by Rusiate Lali 46x46cm Cat 7366bRL

Takeinivula is the artist’s ancestral grandmother who travelled from Tonga to Fiji guided by a heron. Their ancestral mythology describes how she and her twin sister would metamorphose into the pandanas tree at night and travel as an octopus by day.

Here Rusiate has made reference to the metamorphosis of the spirit world by merging the bird and the fish and reaches out to them.

Rusiate, one of the most exciting and provocative artists to exhibit at Gallery Gondwana, comes from a long lineage of potters, carvers, tapa cloth and fibre artists. Named Contemporary Fijian Artist of the Year in 1999, Rusiate’s work is a sensuous mix of past and present, myth and reality. He has had five solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions. To date much of his work has explored his personal experiences and his universal awareness of social issues. He handles these subjects with intelligence and sensitivity.

This painting is shipped on the frame protected by MDF board