“Art has never been a choice for me… it is my heart beat. I’ll cherish every precious moment of it.”
Anare Somumu is a Fijian artist who hails from Lakeba village in the Saqani region of Cakaudrove, Vanua Levu. His art career began in 1991 as a children’s book illustrator for the Ministry of Education’s curriculum development unit, an engagement spanning almost fifteen years.
Now one of Fiji’s most respected contemporary painters, Anare’s work is internationally celebrated for his arresting articulation of deep cultural themes. He is the first Pacific artist to be awarded the title of Arirang Master, honoring outstanding practitioners of intangible cultural heritage. Somumu’s deft skill, particularly in figurative styles, communicates the complex and at times agonizing relationship between modernity and traditional Fijian culture.
Read more about his Arirang Master recognition: Culture Masters.
Contact for commissions: [email protected]
