Page 18 - Fiji Traveller 2023 Issue 5

Jane Ricketts’

Memories of

Fiji and family

By Samantha Magick and Elizabeth Kolivuso the University of the South Pacific depicts the funeral
of Dr Timoci Bavadra, who was deposed in the 1987
Suva artist Jane Ricketts’ paintings are a window into coup. The painting captures the sense of quiet grief of
Fiji’s history and history-makers, iTaukei and Indo-Fijian the many people in attendance, and the deep Fijian
culture, cityscapes and intimate depictions of her family. traditions of the occasion.
Ricketts developed her interest in art at a very young Equally powerful are a number of paintings and
age, at the knee of her grandfather, who painted collages made after the 2000 coup, including portraits of
landscapes. But it was a turning point in Fiji’s history that coup perpetrator, George Speight, and another of Sharon
prompted her to take up her brushes. Bhagwan-Rolls, who was one of the leaders of the ‘Blue
“I took up painting after the first coup, partly because I Ribbon Vigils’, prayers held in support of MPs who had
was so disturbed by what happened and I was becoming been held captive at the former Parliamentary complex
difficult to live with, too beset with anger and I felt I for 56 days. Other paintings in this series depict the
needed something to help me relax, and I loved art. So I “desecration” of the parliamentary complex by the many
went to classes, particularly with (then Fiji-based Dutch people who camped there during the hostage period, and
artist Jasper Schreurs, who was employed by the Fiji burnt-out vehicles abandoned in the riots that occurred in
Arts Council. And that's when I started painting regularly the early days of the coup.
myself." Across her body of work, Ricketts’ elegant use of
One of the most moving and powerful paintings in watercolours, oil paints and paper collage bring her
Ricketts’ recent exhibition at the Oceania Centre at subjects, and their stories, to vivid life.

18 18