The Kalihi Palama Youth Center offers an activity not seen at too many other centers. The back field doubles as a designated area for Hawaii's best graffiti artists, kids and adults alike. All are allowed to put their works on built pre-fabricated walls for drivers passing by the Vineyard exit to see, as well as respected and non-respected peers. Every weekend, new colorful pieces, murals, and "throwups"( bubble letters and words, usually painted quicker than normal) are created. You can see local crews or solo-artists out there on the weekend having a good time, fulfilling their passion for "Graff". The designation of a yard gives the opportunity to let some of Hawaii's talent shine, and also signifies the embrace of an artistic, alternate activity.
After two semesters of using professional gear in Video Production class, I finally busted out the old video camera that was sitting in the corner of my room (in its case, of course). I have a presentation in one of my classes this week and figured it would be great to add video footage of myself explaining the silkscreen process. I had forgotten how fun it is to say or do anything you want on (your own) camera.
It is great to be shooting video again even with my tiny Panasonic from Don Quiote. I also have a five year-old iMovie program which still works fine for editing. I feel the start of another creative eruption.
Last week a new exhibit opened up at the Honolulu Academy of Arts entitled "From Whistler To Warhol: Modernism On Paper". On display are pieces created by the great Realists, Surrealists, Minimalists, Expressionists, and Pop Artists from the last century and a half. The first few works upon entering are of Andy Warhol screen prints. The halftones and contrasting colors he uses are a wonderful treat in itself. After seeing Warhol's screen print on one hundred colored styrene cases of artist's faces (used in the picture above, entitled "Ten From Castelli", 1967), I was in love. Works by Roy Lichenstein and Frank Stella use multiple applications (lithograph, screen print, lino-cut, embossing) in a single piece which I find very interesting. Etchings using aquatint along with other methods and paintings by various artists round out the exhibit.
I highly recommend visiting this gallery if you are inspired by creative expression through various techniques of printmaking and drawings. It is located in Room 28 at the Academy of Arts and will continue until May 3rd.
Nikki Kato is a spunky individual who lives in Waipio Gentry. She graduated High School a couple years back and is currently a student at Hawaii Pacific University. She loves photography, therefore chose Photojournalism as her major. In five years she plans to be somewhere in the field where freedom of creative expression is at her fingertips. She embraces the virtual world of interactive websites and can catch her around Fort Street Mall waiting for class, instant messaging multiple friends. Though Nikki spends a lot of time online she has never visited dating websites. Nikki likes to think outside the box while striving for innovation-and has a good time doing it.
Oh, and she is positive the world will not end in 2012.
iPods and their accessories have been around for quite some time now, and I never bought them because of my pet peeve which is they create communication-dysfunction between humans. Years later, events happen, and different needs in life take precedence. Well, it wasn't till this last Christmas that I received an iPod Touch from my girlfriend.
From the start I've only cared about hooking it up to the Belkin car transmitter while driving, bumping sounds of bliss . It is so wonderful not to have CD's cluttering my dashboard. That was a long time complaint of mine, but never wanted to contribute to the iPod craze, so I withheld owning one till this year.
Now that I have converted to the dark side (ha ha), my car is a lot cleaner and the stereo is much easier to operate. This also means that I do not listen to KTUH as much, unless it's Tuesday or Wednesday evening.
I have no idea why I didn't think of these advantages earlier. Actually, I did, but that's when I was antiPod!
The spirit of legends performing on Oahu continued this weekend with the Mighty Diamonds, a trio of singers who helped make the Roots Reggae genre popular in the late 1960's-early 1970's. They performed Friday night with their backup band at Tropics on the corner of Ward Farmer's Market. I found out they were going to be there while listening to KTUH in my car around 11 p.m. waiting for my friend to come out of his house.
The gig was not advertised in any paper, gearing it towards the island's underground music community who may not have 35 dollars to see them perform on Valentine's night at Pipeline. We immediately drove to Tropics to find the place almost at full capacity. I knew the door man so we got in for 10 dollars. The energy was powerful inside because it was the headliner's first time performing in Hawaii, and it was much anticipated.
The backup band played heavy on bass, drums, and keyboard, while adding echo effects to form what is known as dub versions. They performed Reggae classics with the offbeat wizardry only veterans of the industry can do. The crowd responded with a frenzy of cheers, including myself. An hour later, the Mighty Diamonds singers came on and swooned the crowd with their soulful harmonies and hooks. I looked around to see all couples joined at the hip.
Two o'clock in the morning came upon us quick as the band played their hana hou. The crowd wanted more but the joyous occasion had to come to an end. We left immediately after the last cymbal crash at around 2:15 am in order for myself to have a few winks before work.
February's First Friday was a milestone in the art renaissance of Chinatown, Honolulu. People came out in droves to see the Chinese New Year celebration along side the art walk that was simultaneously occurring. It was also the first time newly renovated artist lofts were available for open house. Hotel Street became the most concentrated I had ever seen with party goers. I looked inside Smith's Union Bar which is normally empty, to see customers filling it to capacity. Vagrants and homeless were interspersed with the crowd who spilled out onto the street.
It was a special night for me; I started off doing my T-shirt gig in Chaplain Lane where I participate in a flea market entitled Shop, Bop, and Grind. Later that evening, one of Hip Hop's founding fathers was in attendance down the street at bar/venue Next Door. D.J. Kool Herc, who is given credit for making Hip Hop breaks popular in the late 70's-early 80's, performed to a full capacity. The Jamaican born, New York native had the crowd roaring with his innovative style of blending old and new music genres. Many in the crowd had no idea who Kool Herc was, yet for myself, who is a Hip Hop head (enthusiast), it was an event I had been waiting for five years to witness (I missed his performance at Next Door in 2005).
Seeing many friendly faces on the dance floor reminded me that Honolulu is a collective area of society where artists, artisans, and audiences reciprocate positive energy in a way that few cities do. The city's cultural diversity is a major contribution that is paralleled by the tradition of ohana.
The February First Friday opened up Chinatown's gateway to a larger audience, combining dual festivities whereby helping its popularity. The art walk seems to get bigger every month as the number of reasons for attendance grows: art appreciation, shopping, partying, performances, relaxation, and cultural dining. The emergence of a well rounded art scene is giving the city a reason to be hopeful for an economical upturn.
Act of War contributed to my knowledge of Hawaii’s history and its unjust
past. It is clearer after watching the film as to why Native Hawaiians stand firm behind their beliefs of sovereignty and their dedication to the land and culture throughout history. Keys to the kingdom may have been handed over, but the voices of Queen Liliuokalani and King Kalakaua continue to echo in present day Hawaii with the separatist movements that exist. The concept of ‘haole’ insurgents annexing Hawaii, changing its legislature, and attempting to permanently reform its culture through Marshal Law sounds somewhat reminiscent of Afghanistan’s change in infrastructure at the hands of the United States. Will they have same ending?
Hawaii’s rich soil and easy access to the Pacific Ocean makes it an easy target for a country to take control of. The craving of the islands by the west was purely motivated by capitalism, yet that is what helped Hawaii set up to thrive globally. Aside from its abundant natural resources for export, technological breakthroughs stemming from Pearl Harbor and tourism later on manifested Hawaii’s destiny of being big industry. For locals, sustainability of the land is far more important than any corporate, mass-producing entity whose planted their roots.
Narrations during missionary accounts of events lean towards a justification of actions through ethnocentrisms, whereas the Native Hawaiians narration has a completely different conviction—one of repressed hostility. The contrast of beliefs is astounding to watch one after another because America adopts the utilitarian mind frame while Native Hawaiians try to maintain a more deontologist reality. One certainty is that both parties will never see eye-to-eye on the rights to Hawaii, and opinions are growing stronger every day.
I have a silkscreen printing business which keeps me constantly creating. Playing music is another passion in my life along with skateboarding with style.
