Mosese Raqio 
[Photo: Supplied]
After spending 21 years behind bars, former Korovou Prison inmate Aisake Qiolele is ready to rebuild his life, with a paintbrush in his hand and a new sense of purpose.
The 42-year-old Serua man was pardoned last Friday, a moment he says he never expected until he was called in and given the news.
Now, Qiolele is preparing for the upcoming Art Exhibition, marking his seventh year taking part in the competition and his first as a free man.
Qiolele says he discovered his talent for painting while in prison and believes the skills he gained during his sentence can now help him rebuild his life and support his community.
He says his focus is to use his artwork to earn a living after spending almost half his life in prison.
For fellow inmate and artist Leiatu Folau, art is a gift that has helped him rediscover a talent he first developed in primary school.
Folau, who was convicted in May 2024 and is serving a three-year sentence, returned to drawing after picking up a pencil again in prison.
He says some of his paintings have already been sold overseas — something he never imagined would happen.
Folau has a message for young people with artistic talent: do not waste it and do not lose hope.
He says young artists should paint what comes from their own imagination rather than simply copying what they see online.
“Keep on doing it. One day, you’re going to reach your goal.”
One of his works, titled Ancestors’ Memory, reflects his desire to preserve traditions and memories that are becoming harder to find in Fiji.
For Qiolele and Folau, art has become more than a skill.
It is a pathway to hope, purpose and a new beginning.
