APART from being a highly visited tourist destination, Sigatoka is now home to Fiji’s newest art facility, the Lancaster Press Fiji Gallery.
At the grand opening held recently, the Duavata Art Exhibition group showcased works by eight invited artists.
The eight included three Australian artists who were completing their residencies at Lancaster Press Fiji – Jo Darvall, Carolina Furgue and Stephen Eastaugh, and five locals – Susie Elliott, Josua Toganivalu, Robert Kennedy, Waqa Vuidreketi and Rusiate Lali.
The commercial fine art gallery is the brainchild of enterprising Australian couple Peter Lancaster and Dinah Maclaren.
In 2018 they established an artist’s residency program specialising in hand lithography.
Lancaster is a skilled master printmaker who works in a collaborative and intuitive process with artists to produce limited editions of original hand-printed lithographs.
Located on a rise right at the top of Temple Road in Malaqereqere, the Lancaster Press Fiji Gallery is unique in that it provides a dedicated space for artists who used to rely on temporary venues such as the ROC market, social media and online spaces, or sponsored and charitable events in hotels, foreign embassy residences and in some cases, sidewalks to showcase their works.
The Duavata Exhibition began on July 8 and ends on July 29. It is open for viewing by appointment only. Anyone interested can contact the Lancaster Press Fiji Gallery on 9362349 or 8043886, enquiries@lancasterpressfiji.com or visit www.lancasterpressfiji.com
