Takeinivula Series - The Moon by Rusiate Lali 46x46cm CAT 14348RL

Takeinivula Series - The Moon by Rusiate Lali 46x46cm

The outrigger canoe depicted on the right is how the Lapita ancestors travelled from Tonga to Fiji. They would journey at night navigating by the stars. The artist's ancestral grandmother, Takeinivula was initially frightened by the full moon but he chased after her and she was eventually impregnated by the moon, giving birth to a lineage of artist.

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 artwork is freighted with canvas stretched on frame