Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay has commissioned local artist, Stanley Joseph Waradi to design an upcycled marine sculpture depicting the world’s fragile eco-system in celebration of World Environment Day.

The sculpture, which aims to raise awareness of Fiji’s endangered reefs and fragile marine life is called Taukei Momi, meaning Guardian of Momi and is created from broken umbrellas, reinforcement steel and other scrap metal and plastic collected from around the resort. Consisting of a whale and three dolphins, the bodies of the animals resemble indigenous Fijian patterns which often appear in cultural Fijian art.

Stanley Joseph Waradi said: “This art is a new way of recycling, removing waste otherwise dangerous to nature and sea life and creating amazing art pieces, many of them showcasing the beauty and fragility of marine life. As a recycling artist, I hope to address, the issue of waste through its reuse in a way that encourages more creative thinking as opposed to the consumerism that has become a plague to the environment.”

This is not the first time the resort has partnered with the local artist, in 2022, Stanley was commissioned to create the sculpture “Na i Qasiqasi ni vonu”, meaning voyage of the turtles for Momi’s award-winning, Quan Spa.

Silvano Dressino – General Manager, Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay said: “We are excited to be working with Stanley once again to not only showcase the incredible local talent and culture to our guests but provide something that will educate them on the fragility of our local environments.”

Taukei Momi will be submersed in the lagoon at Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay Resort and will also feature underwater lights around the art pieces which can be explored by guests’ day or night. The sculpture will function as a refuge for the smaller marine organisms from predators and the elements, whilst also providing an educational attraction within the resort.

The project started in December of 2022 and took Stanley a total of 149 days or 1788 hours to complete.

Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay has partnered with the Mamanuca Environment Society since 2022, spearheading a wider goal of supporting local communities, the environment and sustainable experiences within Fiji.