Celebrating creativity, resilience and the rising voice of women in the arts, 39-year-old artist Alamander Datt is embracing a growing platform that is shining a long-overdue spotlight on female talent in Fiji.
Datt was among the featured artists at the Women’s Avant Garde Art Exhibition held at the University of Fiji Central campus in Suva, an event staged as part of the university’s 21st anniversary celebrations.
For Datt, the exhibition represents more than just an opportunity to showcase her work,, it is a powerful moment of recognition for women artists who have long worked quietly in the background.
She describes the platform as both empowering and affirming, saying it is “amazing to be valued as women, as a collective”, while expressing gratitude to the University of Fiji for creating space for female creatives to be seen and celebrated.
A self-taught artist and mother of five, Datt balances her passion for painting with a full-time job and family life.
She says art has become her personal escape, something she turns to in the quiet hours after her children have gone to bed.
Insert: Alamander - Art is my escape March 24
Datt says her journey began in childhood, inspired by supportive parents, particularly her father, who bought her first set of acrylic paints.
From those early beginnings, she says her work has grown organically, shaped by persistence, experimentation and a willingness to learn from mistakes.
Datt is encouraging aspiring artists, especially women, to take that first step despite doubts.
She acknowledges that while the industry can be male-dominated, there is still space, and if not, women can create their own.
