Client: SMALL TOWN * BIG ART in partnership with Imua Discovery Garden

Overview

In Summer 2022 I completed “Wailuku Wings” in collaboration with SMALL TOWN * BIG ART and Imua Discovery Garden. This 8 foot tall sculpture made of powder-coated steel and polyurethane panels inspires potential, inclusion, inspiration and discovery. The final piece provides an interactive experience where keiki (young children) can stand in front of the work and feel a sense of awe, empowerment, and play as the moment is captured for an ongoing photo project.

The composition of the sculpture is based on the moment right before a butterfly takes off, the posture of preparation, expectation, and flight. To represent the concept of water as a mechanism for life and rebirth, concepts similarly represented by the butterfly, we chose aerial photographs of the íāo Valley. The region’s landscape, canyons, and ridge lines tell the story of water on a geological scale. We muted this geographic imagery within the wing panels by way of a color gradation that references the native Pulelehua butterfly. Superimposed on the aerial layer is the dark pattern of the only other native butterfly, the Kamehameha. Looking closer into the dark spotting, a traditional twill pattern used in weavings by Mike Nahoʻopiʻi is present.

Goals

The primary goals of this project were to create an artwork that authentically represented the residents of Wailuku while igniting inspiration among students at the Imua Discovery Garden. This was realized through the creation of a sculpture meticulously centered on Wailuku's unique blend of sense of place, history, and culture. Integrating an artist with expertise in community-engaged artwork was essential to the success of the finished design.

My approach to conceptualizing "Wailuku Wings" was underpinned by extensive research into the region, delving deep into Hawaiian culture, language, traditions, and oral narratives. Subsequent site visits to Wailuku town served to enrich the design, as insights gleaned from native historians and artisans shed light on the island's staunch commitment to conservation, the abundance of native butterfly species, and traditional weaving techniques and motifs. Collaborating closely with local community members and esteemed organizations such as master lauhala weaver Mike Nahoʻopiʻi, the Maui Historical Society, and the Maui Public Art Corps was indispensable to the project's success, ensuring that the resulting sculpture resonates harmoniously with the landscape and inhabitants of Wailuku.

Process

Under the guidance of Sissy Lake-Farm, Maui Historical Society Executive Director, I chose to draw inspiration for "Wailuku Wings" from a Hawaiian proverb, ʻōlelo noʻeau #1236: I mohala no ka Lehua i ke ke`eke`ehi `ia e ka ua. (Lehua blossoms unfold because the rains tread upon them. It is the rain that brings forth the lehua blossoms. So do gentle words bring forth much that is desired).

"Wailuku Wings" is strongly grounded in advanced research into the íāo Valley and Wailuku town. While touring the island I observed the prevalence of water as a valuable resource, from the aqueduct in front of the Imua Discovery Garden to the drainage of íāo running through the center of town. Coming from the Arizona desert, I was struck by how similar Wailuku’s water concerns are to our own water issues. My outings with Imua Family Services' Dean Wong, Maui Historical Society’s Sissy Lake-Farm, Maui Public Art Corps’ Kelly McHugh-White, Bishop Museum Entomology Collections Manager Jeremy Frank, master lauhala weaver Mike Nahoʻopiʻi, and other generous stewards of the island of Wailuku solidified my design approach. My observations combined with research into native butterfly species and butterfly wing mechanics inspired the design of the sculpture and the imagery seen in the wings.