Aisake Qiolele never touched a paint brush or experimented with colours until he was behind bars. Now, Qiolele is a prominent inmate artist at the Korovou Prison Tagimoucia Art Gallery in Suva.
The Serua Islander was one of six artists who displayed their artwork during the three-day Mataka Vou Yellow Ribbon Art Exhibition.
Qiolele said he had requested prison authorities to learn how to paint and draw. And they granted his wish.
“I did not know how to draw when I was at home,” he said.
“I came and served a few years at the Naboro medium prison, and in 2019, I was transferred to Korovou Prison in Suva.
“I requested to learn drawing. When I first came to jail, I actually did not know how to use a paint brush.”
Qiolele said he was grateful to have a mentor in prison who taught him how to draw.
“So, we started with pencil and ball pen up to oil painting and acrylic paint.
“This is my fourth exhibition since I was sentenced to prison in 2005.” Next year, Qiolele will be a free man again.
“And when I leave here, I would like to start a business.
“Not only do I draw, but I also do sketching for sarongs.”
“When we are behind prison walls, we feel that everything has been taken away from us and the only thing we have to do is to try activities in prison to keep us occupied.”
The Fiji Corrections Service’s Tagimoucia Art Gallery was initiated in 2008 to develop and expose the talent and artistic potential of inmates.
