ART from where each new day begins S
igavou Studios has pioneered new ways of using masi (also known as barkcloth), celebrating an ancient Pacific tradition while creating cuttingedge visual art that provides a splash of colour in tune with many a 21st Century interior design. For award-winning Nadi artist Maria Rova, Fiji is a place where the soul can stretch, finding joy in the simplicity of a vibrant flower, a resounding belly laugh, the jarring colours and textures of market stalls, the rhythms of pounding surf, and the resilience of a people still grounded an ancient living culture that binds them to both land and sea. Immersed in a barrage of these new experiences when arriving in Fiji three decades ago, Maria took to painting as an expression of love for her adopted homeland, and a source of livelihood for her growing Fijian family. What started off as kitchen-table experiment on scraps of traditional barkcloth left over from family ceremonies, eventually evolved into Sigavou Studios, a creative hub located in a quiet neighbourhood not far from Nadi International Airport.
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Sought after by numerous local resorts and gift shops, as well as by clients from around the world, Maria’s art is a dynamic fusion of vibrant, contemporary colours and forms, laden with references to Fiji’s unique culture, colourful reefs, and tropical wildlife. Collaborating with a team of emerging local artists, Maria works primarily in dyes on silk, and acrylics on masi. “It’s a joy to paint on this natural, environmentally friendly canvas,” explains Maria. “The women in our extended family on the remote island of Vatulele create it for us from plantation-grown paper-mulberry trees. Each piece of barkcloth goes through a laborious process of beating, soaking, and sun-drying before it is rolled up and sent to the studio by boat and bus.” There is something for everyone in the Sigavou showroom – from small, limited edition paintings that fit easily into a backpack, to large feature pieces that find their way into upmarket corporate offices and vast resort lobbies. Hand-painted greeting cards and other creative gifts compliment the Sigavou range.
