William Bakalevu discovered his passion for painting at 37 years of age, after relocating from Fiji’s Suva city to his ancestral village of Nakorolevu. Inspired by local history and daily life, Bakalevu began creating domestic murals to visually document village stories. This endeavour marked the beginning of his lifelong dedication to retelling local legends and proverbs through art.

Bakalevu’s artistic journey aligned with the founding of the Centre of Oceania Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies, at the University of the South Pacific, by the influential author and scholar ‘Epeli Hau’ofa in 1997. There he became a key member of the artist group Red Wave Collective for more than ten years. Afterwards, Bakalevu continued to refine his innovative use of texture and vibrant hues to recontextualise Fijian legends, blending narrative and emotion through new symbols and techniques.

This collection of Bakalevu’s works spans the past decade of his practice and highlights his distinctive style. The new painting Viavia 2024 (translating to Wannabe), explores the Fijian proverb ‘Eda Ika kecega, is eda dui nubunubu’, which likens people to fish dwelling at different depths. In this piece, Bakalevu reflects on his unique artistic journey, acknowledging his desire to explore new directions while remaining deeply rooted in his cultural heritage.