Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 3, 1 March 2023 — Using Art to Create a Space for Difficult Discussions About 'ōiwi Representation [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Using Art to Create a Space for Difficult Discussions About 'ōiwi Representation

By Amee Hi'ilawe Neves For the first time in 20 years, there is a large-scale exhibit of Kānaka 'Ōiwi-made art at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Art Gallery. The 'Ai Pōhaku, Stone Eaters exhibit features about 40 kānaka artists and is open Wednesdays to Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. through March 26. The exhibition includes the art gallery, hamhoo grove and rooftop courtyard, and showcases different installations of all mediums from Hawaiian artists. Some artists utilize printing methods and others use literal plants as their art. There is so mueh to see and at every turn there is something new for viewers to appreciate. This exhibit has been in the works since 2020 with the purpose of creating a space for hard discussions revolving around Native Hawaiian representation and displacement in Hawai'i, specifically in the UH system. "The University of Hawai'i often talks about itself as a model Indigenous-serving institution, or a plaee of native Hawaiian learning," said Curator Drew Kahu'āina Broderick. "For us in the arts, like we don't really see that; you don't see it and we definitely don't feel it." Co-curators Broderick, Noelle M. K. Y. Kahanu and Josh Tengan reached out to Kānaka Maoli artists they personally knew through family friends, recommendations, mentorships or the university in order to eompile the list of artists featured. They handled all of the grants, programming, fundraising, labor and outreach in order to create this space to highlight the challenges and inequities kānaka face.

The name 'Ai Pōhaku, Stone Eaters is inspired by the mele 'Ai Pōhaku or as we know it today, Kaulana Nā Pua by Ellen Kekoaohiwaikalani Wright Prendergast. The song is symbolic of kānaka resistance against the post-overthrow "Provisional Government" and the willingness of the people to "eat stones" rather than to surrender. "There is a line in the song 'ua lawa mākou i ka pōhaku, i ka 'ai kamaha'o o ka aina,' [meaning] 'we're satisfied with the stones, the wondrous food of the land,'" said Tengan. "So the work at the center, or the piko, is really a literal interpretation of stone eating,"

The exhibit incorporates muhiple areas; the piko is the living room space in whieh artist discussions are held every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. This space is meant for tackling hard topics, with artwork by Ipō and Kūnani Nihipali in the center symbolizing the healing process. "Sort of like concentric circles that expand out from the center of the room," Broderick said. "It helps us to connect the dots and talk more about it when we get there." One notable pieee of artwork is on the first level of the exhibit entitled "E Ho'okanaka!" by Kapulani Landgraf. This installation is a first iteration of the work and features photographs and quotes by kānaka ffom across all islands. "I thought about how we remember and honor our Hawaiian leaders who sacrificed so mueh for our lāhui, and that is where the idea eame ffom," said artist Kapulani Landgraf. Landgraf was invited by Broderick to participate in 'Ai Pōhaku, Stone Eaters. She spent countless hours of research in order to create this installation, including asking people for quotes from 'Ōiwi leaders, past and present, who inspired them with what they've done for the lāhui. ī 1 f

"This is a huge project, and in completing this installation for 'Ai Pōhaku, I knew I was missing many 'Ōiwi leaders and their important words that will not just inspire our lāhui now, but our future generations," Landgraf said. Landgraf's installation is just one of the 46 powerful artworks at the exhibition for the community to eome in, view, and have hard conversations centered on them. These kinds of conversations are vital to securing a better future with more kānaka representation on UH campuses. "Ihe hope is that by activating the system and the spaces that that system has to support elinieal art, we ean have a larger conversation about the laek of support," f Broderick said. "So in demonstrating our presence, we ean talk about the absence, the exclusion, and the neglect that has taken plaee over the past 20 plus years," The curators hold weekly tours at 1:00 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays and all programming is ffee to the puhlie without reservation. Parking on the UH Mānoa campus is free on Sundays. For more information visit the exhibit's website https://hawaii.edu/art/ai-pohaku/. ■

The 'Ai Pōhaku, Stone Eaters exhibit at UH Mōnoa features the work of more than 40 'Oiwi artists. - Courtesy Photos

The exhibit incorporates mulhple spaces and wūs created as a catalyst for discussions obout Hawaiian representation and displacement in Hawai'i.

$1 Drew Broderick 1

Noelle Kahanu

Josh Tengan