Craig Marlow keeps mum's art legacy alive at Hibiscus Festival

At the heart of this year’s Hibiscus Festival, tucked between food stalls and carnival rides, lies a quiet corner bursting with colour, stories, and heart.
For the first time at the festival, a dedicated Visual Arts Section has been introduced, largely thanks to artist and organiser Craig Marlow, who wanted to give Fiji’s creative voices the stage they deserve.

Among the paintings on display are two small but meaningful works by someone very special to him: the first-ever winner of the Miss Fiji/Miss Hibiscus pageant, Liebling Marlow, 87.

“She still thinks she’s going to be part of the 70th anniversary next year,” Craig said. “She’s been painting since we were children. She’s part of this festival’s soul.”
Mr Marlow, a fourth-generation Fijian, didn’t just set up the exhibition to show art, he’s on a mission to prove that creativity matters, especially in a system where many young people are slipping through the cracks.

“So many of our kids drop out of school, not because they’re not smart, but because they’re gifted in different ways,” he says. “Music, dance, painting, these are things they excel at. But there’s just no support.”

This year’s display is a blend of generations and backgrounds, older European painters, university students from Samabula, young children trying art for the first time, and Mr Marlow himself. The art is deliberately cheerful, echoing the festival’s carnival spirit.

“We wanted happy art. Hibiscus is about joy. The art should reflect that,” he said.
Though modest in size, the exhibit has already seen a few sales, and more artists are expected to join throughout the week. For Mr Marlow, it’s about more than sales, it’s about recognition. 

He recalls another artistic moment close to his heart. The 2005 Hibiscus revival, when he and other artists built a float made entirely from recycled materials to raise awareness about marine pollution.

“We made coral reefs and sea creatures from plastic bottles and foam,” he said. “We carried it by hand, no motors, just message.”
Now, two decades later, he’s building something else by hand. It is a space where artists of all ages and backgrounds can belong. “Art saved many of us,” he said. “Now it’s our turn to create space for others.”