37% Art Exhibition Catalogue

Curatorial statement

The period of human development captured in the youth category is a contentious time. It includes both a period of adolescence and adulthood. In Fiji, youth are characterized as those between the ages of 15 and 35 years old, constituting about 32 percent (285,000) of the total population in the 2017 population census survey. Based on the population statics provided by Fiji Bureau

of Statistics (FBoS) in 2021 that number is now around 37%. According to UNICEF Pacific Representative Jonathan Veitch, “Almost one-third of Fijians are youth in this country, and they have the power to reach out to the most marginalized to drive change – starting within their own homes.”

The actions of the youth are often seen as lazy, wild, chaotic, and sometimes irresponsible. The short period of time we spend as youth is where a large portion of our development is formed, where we learn the most about ourselves. Our time is spent with friends walking and

talking, running barefoot, congregating under bus stops, ‘putting in’ to buy food or to get a taxi to that one friend’s house. It may include planning a night out to late night chats into the wee hours of the morning, livestreams and dancing on tiktok, twitter drama, phone calls that span hours, video chats, break ups, and many times… We find pieces of ourselves on the other side of the mirror, writing pronouns and sexualities, tucked in pockets as we dress ourselves for Sunday mass. Our narratives are formed in laughter and deep conversations that swirl and sit at the bottom of mugs and grog bowls, and in pictures that surface in sketchbooks

and in poem. Youth experience a unique concoction of family and societal pressures, while at the same time, have exceptional autonomy and access to the world beyond that accessible to children and adults past.

37% highlights the importance of youth voice and brings to the fore this liminal space of not quite child and not yet adult in which young artists find themselves. Often exhibition making is a serious affair that requires deep concepts and discussions, planning and time. 37% provides an opportunity to bring more joy, fun and urgency to exhibition making. All too

often, opportunities for experimentation happen under the radar and receive little to no funding and exposure, especially in Small Island economies contexts like Fiji where the arts struggle to secure sustainable resourcing. This initiative is a collaboration project between CAS and Create Viti which intends to raise awareness and public discourse about art and profile the work by emerging young artists. This inaugural exhibition was made possible with funding support from the Ministry of Youth.

Art is about communication, confronting people without imposing and creating a dialogue that offers a different perspective. The team is interested in the collaboration between different voices, perspectives, cultures, traditions, genders & various art disciplines, to build something new. Not to rework or destroy existing structures, but rather to welcome an opportunity to explore who we are, who we want to become, and how we want to live, bringing history and place together allowing for the celebration of creativity, exploration of identity and more.

A new wave of art has emerged in online spaces, such as Instagram, twitter, Facebook and tik-tok where artists “brand” themselves with their unique visual identities and amassing a niche following within their local community. Drawing on this opportunity, we set out to curate a youth focused exhibition with experimentation, collaboration, accessibility, and joy in mind - something different. What we realized is that the covid-19 two-year pandemic awoke a sense of urgency in many creatives. Many artists found themselves questioning their creative practice while fighting an inner fire that wished to be expressed in our art, pushing to be free.

37% looks at Fiji’s new creatives and their interpretations of who they are as pacific youth and as Fijians. Six Suva-based visual artists were identified for this first exhibition with ages ranging from 17 to 34. They are Lily Finau, Mele Hingano, Henry Matai, Bale, Joseph Baro-Kaurasi, and Na Moko. For most of the artists, this will be their first experience participating in an exhibition of this nature. Their select

works speak to various themes that focus on self-expression and explorations of creative style. The viewer is invited to see the world through the eyes of youth and to recall your own journeys as young people and to think about what it means to be a young person in Fiji in 2022. As you view this collection, we invite you to think about the liminal space of youth and the exploration and newness of life experiences that this time presents. Spanish Artist Placido Domingo reminds us “When a young artist is ready, one has to bring him into the limelight.” 37% attempts to do just that by drawing attention to the early-stage creative practice and development of youth, something that has not gained much attention or support in Fiji. This seedling exhibition represents a set of voices, which are rarely heard. Today we are on precipice of change, and we get a rare peak into the budding minds of some of Fiji’s emerging youth creatives at the start of their journey.

We acknowledge the many hands that have made this exhibition a reality in particular the Ministry of Youth. What lies ahead is a road paved with raw flavorful expression, introspection and reflection. We invite you to journey with us and hope you find something that appeals to you and that you may wish to take home.

Vinaka Vakalevu

Regina Shiki Curator

Centre for the Arts, Suva

The Centre for the Arts Suva (CAS) is conceived out of a need for locally framed and owned arts spaces that will work to empower and support ongoing arts activities in Suva, creating much needed space for emerging artists and art forms.

discourses for the local community, reflecting our position within the larger art ecosystem.

The robust CAS annual art program engages with the question ‘what is a local Fijian art centre’? Over this year CAS’s intention is to be accessible to the public and dedicated to contemporary art. CAS aspires to be a porous space connecting curatorial, artistic practices and related

CAS works across the art spectrum: advocating and supporting local arts and artists; collaborating and networking with existing arts agencies, organisations, donors, embassies and artists; and finding avenues in the arts sector to assist and enact change that ensures greater access and exposure for artists and their work.

Our Team

CreateViti

started in June of 2022, is a local creatives initiative for “Artists supporting artists’, using social media. It is a safe space, and community for Fiji artists, to motivate, inspire, learn, and grow together through meaningful engagement, and is a platform to amplify local artists’ voices. Create Viti is also creating a repository/ archive of sorts, for locals and those interested in pursuing the arts in the region, by hosting visual interviews, sharing each other’s works, amplifying their individual projects, and hosting their own mini projects such as seasonal art supply giveaways. It is pronounced Create E Viti, as a play on the word Creativity and also a reference to Creatives online in Fiji.

Lily Finau

Starlight

For this drawing I wanted to draw a fatherson relationship between Paimon (father) and Stolas (son). Paimon teaches all arts, philosophy and sciences, and secret things and has to teach his son Stolas how to use his powers an knowledge to be able to do the work he does on earth when summoned by a human. Stolas is amazed by the stars and galaxies his father shows him using the magical book called a grimoire that holds spells and notes on all the knowledge Paimon has gathered. It is just a sweet sight to see.

Bittersweet Truths

For this drawing I was inspired by creepy/ horror type artwork with mirrors. The colors were inspired by dark grunge aesthetics The story of this piece is, Charlie glances into the mirror seeing disappointed reflections of her parents, Lilith and Lucifer (the King and Queen of Hell) because the passion project to rehabilitate sinners was far fetched and they knew it from the start, discouraging her to protect her. Yet, she decided to go off on her own and start it, leading her to this awful situation, something bad had happened during the passion project (perhaps a paitent got exterminated by the angels during their attempt to be accepted into Heaven , Charlie witnessing it) Charlie (Blonde and paled skinned character) had and her girlfriend Vaggie (Gray hair and dark skinned) is trying to comfort her after the scene. Bittersweet really.

Dark Shadows

This drawing was inspired by a scene in an episode when he has shadow forms of himself he switches into before settling on a bird when appearing to Stolas(his son). I just wanted to draw the new character with his cool shadows swirling around him, almost engulfing him in the darkness and in a cool pose looking up confidently, since his charcter is cocky and arrogant within the show.

Lily Finau, otherwise known as “Humphrey Angh”, is a 17-year-old, Self-taught Fijibased digital illustrator that creates graphic and dynamic drawings.

Lily was first inspired by her cousin, and wanted to bring her own creative thoughts to life. Lily’s art journey began with fan art, inspired by animation, movies, tv shows and games. At the age of 14 she was diagnosed with chronic autoimmune illness called Lupus, but that never stopped her from creating art.

She is currently working on several art projects and has grown a loyal online community that share in her passions.

MELE

Crashing

As a Pacific Islander the ocean will forever be an inspiration to me. I was inspired by the waves crashing onto the beach. It reminded me of our emotions, how every day we get different emotions. Each emotion is a wave crashing onto us; I painted the beach black to represent us and the waves are the different emotions we feel in a day.

Her Wonder

I will forever be inspired by women. I had painted this using only blue at first, Blue is a color that reminds me of the deep blue ocean.

I later wanted to make it look like a cover of a magazine and the Headline would be ‘YALEWA’ meaning female in Fijian.

The rainbow colors are to show my support to the LGBTQ+ community. I believe we should not be ashamed of our femininity or sexuality no matter the gender. I added a bleeding heart because we are often classified as weak by society weak for being emotional.

I believe it is not a weakness, in a world where it is cold and cruel. Showing emotion takes strength, our hearts may bleed but we must continue to heal and not let the cruel world break us.

Soul

Growing up I was curious about the human soul. In us is energy, different from our emotions, different from our minds, different from our flesh. I was inspired by the Koi Fish as they are used to define Yin and Yang energy. I view souls as two koi fish swimming within us. WRed represents our dark persona & yellow representing our light persona.

There is no such thing as good person or a bad person; within us we will always have light and dark. It is up to us to maintain balance within the two.

Mele is a 23-year-old self-taught, Suva based artist. She hails from Muira-Naviti, Yasawa with maternal links to Serua, Yanuca. She does not paint in a specific genre as she loves to practice all types of painting methods, but she favors oil paints.

Growing up in a conservative I-taukei family, she was raised to be stoic and reserved. Art has been a way to help her express her emotions and views on the outside world without the need for words. Also enabling her to be more open and build new connections especially with other artists. She started painting last year during the pandemic and has found herself pursuing the arts and growing an online following.

HENRY MATAI

The Hands that Raised Me/It Takes a Village

My identity was set far beyond and still within the touch of western dogma. I am the after and still- after the fight to take back indigenous identity and tell our own stories, still looking for ways to tell those stories in my new millennia. The meld of tv program and nights by fires listening to my grandfathers tales. I am the culmination of the firm hands and storied tales of the aunties and uncles who stood for the fight to be able to give me my stories. These pieces are my way of showing I will always remain a child of my village no matter how I grow, I am still wide eyed wonder finding safety amongst the Via Leaves and ‘Wai Dranu’ (fresh water) of the Rewa Delta. It takes a village and mine provided the hands that raised me, these hands continue to hold me. To give me reassurance that I belong.

Henry Matai is a 24-year-old creative born and raised in Fiji. He is a visual artist and creative writer who draws inspiration from his storied childhood and family experiences.

Having had a love for art, storytelling and design established early on in his life. Henry has worked to create art in a language he understands, through fantasy and whimsy.

He is a final year student at FNU studying for a bachelor in Biology and Chemistry. Henry as also been selling art since 2019 solely through Instagram.

BALE

Na Vuka ni Gauna I

This piece focuses on the stagnating process of how we view our personal lives through reminiscence and how we hold on to the past. Hopes and dreams for a better future sit waiting. Like an addictive drug, people are living in an illusion. Like watching a dying tree, praying for it to bear fruit without tending to it. The severe obsession of progress and worldly things have hindered us from our own self reflection and healing.

Na Vuka ni Gauna II

The weight of the world can sometimes bog us down. Time is fleeting and it makes us robotic. We ruminate and contemplate, yet we do not notice the importance of investing our time on things we know can help us.

Stretched too thin to have any available time for our friends and families or the goals and dreams we hope to accomplish.

Na Vuka ni Gauna III

This digital art piece focuses on an introspective view of self-identity as a modern pacific islander. It depicts points in time where the mind has undergone certain changes which are affected by our surroundings or the people we have in our lives. It tells a story of the past, present and future, and how it affects our progress. Certain events in our lives can shape our mindset, and how we perceive it affects how we carry ourselves.

Bale is a 30-year-old, Self-taught Suva based artist. He hails from the islands of Vanua Balavu.

Over the last year Bale has been working as a junior graphic designer as apart of Curate Studios, which boosted is interest in pursuing a creative career. Photo manipulation is his preferred medium of art.

Even as a beginner he tries to push boundaries, often broaching topics such as his childhood trauma, the struggles and challenges of a pacific islander both in cultural and urban contexts, and its complex duality. He hopes to amplify his voice in this new newfound passion.

JOSEPHA BAROKAURASI

Dre Ko Malolo

A digital representation of common “masi” kesakesa motifs on a background inspired by a sunset by the sea. The title is a Fijian idiom that refers to the setting of the sun.

E Da Na Yacova Na Noda Icavacava Tawamudu

A digital representation of common and neo-traditional “masi” kesakesa motifs on a multi-hued background inspired by the colors of the sky at dusk and dawn. The title directly translates to: “WE WILL ALL REACH OUR DESTINY”.

VITIA - VI X VII

VITIA refers to a contemporary take on the traditional name for Fiji [VITI] in the vernacular and is the name of nine (9) characters created by the artist and numbered accordingly.

Fire in the Fields/stones in the River

A double sided piece that speaks to emotions via the brush and spatula.

in the

Happiness is Fleeting

A double sided piece that speaks to emotions via the brush and spatula.

Boy With the Foreign Name

A portrait of a young indigenous Fijian man named McDonald Vanderlinden.

With the Foreign Name

Joseph is a self-taught artist currently living in Lautoka, Fiji, working with masi, paint and digital media.

He believes his artistic journey started at the early age of 4, and since then has been exploring the use of numerous processes and media throughout his 25+ years of practice. Joseph works as a paralegal and credits his ability to conscientiously analyze his work and motive to his studies in science and the law.

His creative expressions draw from various aspects of his personal and professional life including sailing, paddling, his cultural heritage and close/ personal relationships. Joseph has been fortunate enough to marry his interests with art and volunteer work while serving on The Uto Ni Yalo Trust – where he served on the executive committee for 4 years.

His love for art stems from the fundamental concept of taking intangible, the unseen, the unheard and turning that into a visual experience.

NA MOKO

Qiri Vei Bu

Not too long ago, the slang was “Suka Na Vuli” (school’s out) before that it was “Jika”. Slangs change with time but with us, I mean I don’t know how it is overseas but here, the popular slangs become part of the street language for years.

I remember when “URO” started in the early 90s, it was almost a dirty thing to say..the pinnacle of fixing lingo of the time. Now it’s used without thought. “Moce Jo” used to be what we use to describe something as “the cherry on top”.

For much of 2022, the slang has been “Qiri Vei Bu” (call nanna) or the shortened“Qiri” this slang is used to mean “No” “Stop” “Dont” “Never” “Dream on” etc etc..and now it has been intergrated into our daily speech. Listen out for it when you’re next in town or around the yasa.

Ceru

The high is not as pleasant as the kind you get from most other substances. You will know you’re high when you hear something like an engine hum. Colors are muted with only a select few being over saturated. Hallucinations differ from person to person.

I know this because I’ve tried it and no, I didnt try it because I was running away from anything, I wasn’t forced by some bully, no peer pressure, no dodgy dealer tried to sell me a can of glue. I was just curious and it was available.

I knew it was bad, I knew there were gonna be consequences, I don’t know, I guess this transitional period has me remembering what I did and why and so when I see videos of kids sniffing glue and going on bus rides I relate some how.. Maybe when I’m an adult, I’ll forget and that’s when I start berating kids telling them to do as I say and not as I did.

Cola Vina, I’m Na Moko.

That’s not my real name, but here’s a little about my tiny art career thus far.

2006, the then Fiji Institute of Technology’s School of Arts Culture and Design was at Raiwai and I was lucky enough to have been around, influenced and inspired by the movement of the time and space around the arts at the school.

Symphonies sang through the corridors from the music students and art adorned the walls inside and out, pieces on canvas, huge murals, intricate carvings and the Ratu Iloilo Gallery where I had my first exhibition. There were performances during lunch breaks, a never-ending volleyball game that lasted the week and art students kept expanding the murals on the walls. The School of Arts Culture and Design was the best thing that could’ve happened to me.

Unfortunately, complications arose, and I had to leave the school. Fortunately, the time spent in the corridors of A.C.D were enough to ignite a passion for the arts that would last till today, even if I’ve

only popped into art sporadically during the past 16 years. The few projects and publications that I’ve been lucky enough to participate in during those years have prompted the creation of a pseudonym as I have seen that one’s identity hinders the process of creation for the sake of creation.

Having said that, My work is solely based on what I experience and what I observe. I was constantly told to paint what sells, images that would brighten homes and offices but I wanted to paint what I felt, what I saw and I observe everything. For I am a lowly lizard on the wall watching all and telling none. I am Na moko and this world is my wall.