About Nelson Salesi

Name by Birth: Nailati Salesi Ukalele Vunisa.

Also known as : Nelson Salesi.

Born in Levuka the old capital of Fiji, in 1957. Belonging to the tribes of the Yavusa Leweivawa. Mataqali Cukumotu of Marou Village Naviti in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji.

Nelson Salesi is a prominent indigenous artist of Fiji who began his career in art at the age of 15, painting with oil on canvas. Nelsons most recent work has explored the hues found in Fiji's most prominent traditional two-dimensional art of bark cloth, or Masi as it is called in Fiji.

READ MORE ABOUT MASI CLOTH - CLICK HERE

Nelsons reserch for his roots which inspired him to experiment with the traditional bark cloth, pulling in images of the old Fijian motif to tell stories and legends of Fijian tribal history, and his own personal experience as a Kai Yasawa, or man from the sea, the Yasawa group of Islands of Fiji.

Over the past 10 years his reputation has developed nationally, having been invited to exhibit his works of art on tree bark (Masi) in Fiji, Australia, Italy and other Pacific Islands.

SEE THE 'MADE IN OCEANIA' EXHIBITION WEBSITE:
COLOGNE GERMANY - STARTING 12TH OCTOBER 2013

      Past Art Exhibitions

1993- Art Exhibition - Northern Hotel - Lautoka, FIJI
1994- Art Exhibition - Lautoka City Library, FIJI
1995- Art Exhibition - Waterfront Hotel, Lautoka, FIJI
1995- Art Exhibition - South Pacific Contemporary Art, University of NSW, St.George Campus, NSW
1996- Art Exhibition - Dominion International Hotel, Nadi, FIJI
1997- Art Exhibition - Waterfront Hotel, Lautoka, FIJI
1998- Art Exhibition - Milan, ITALY
1998- Art Exhibition - The Melanesian Festival of Arts, Honiaria, THE SOLOMON ISLANDS
1998- Art Exhibition - Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD
1998- CONDUCT WORKSHOP- PAINTING ON MASI ( tapa ) USING SAPS FROM VARIOUS TREES. CENTRE CULTURAL JEAN- MARIE Tjbaou. NEW CALEDONIA
1998- Art Exhibition CENTRE CULTURAL JEAN- MARIE Tjibaou NEW CALEDONIA
1998- CONDUCT WORKSHOP PAINTING ON MASI (tapa) USING SAPS FROM VARIOUS TREES. D'Art (ART SCHOOL) NEW CALEDONIA
1999- COMMISSIONED PAINTINGS AND EXHIBITION FOR THE SHERATON ROYAL FIJI
2000- Art Exhibition OF CONTEMPORARY FIJIAN ART. JOHN HUNTER HOSPITAL ARTS FOR HEALTH GALLERIES NEWCASTLE, NSW
2006- Art Exhibition THE MELANESIAN FESTIVAL OF ARTS SUVA, FIJI
2009- Art Exhibition Wyong Central Coast Festival Of Arts, NSW