art about cultural identity

I've always found it interesting that Gauguin is so despised among lovers of Western art - especially for what he did in Tahiti - and so beloved by Tahitians, and all Polynesians for that matter.  I can't say I love the man but I too have always liked his paintings. I am as in love with the islands as it appears he was.  Who wouldn't be?  When I go home I am overwhelmed by the color and the beauty.  I'm interested in the relationship between insiders and outsiders in relation to cultural identity.  I wanted to play with the meaning of these paintings, because they are so political, and change the relationship of painter and subject from outsider to insider, to insider to insider.  Here are 2 of a series of 4 and their originals...

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The following three pineapple paintings are a triptych.  I am exploring the idea of authenticity in culture and cultural identity.  I feel like there is a constant sometimes heated debate about what is authentic in Polynesian culture.  And it seems like some people are insistent that there is only one "authentic".  I chose the pineapple because it is such a recognizable symbol of Hawaii.  But it is not native to Hawaii.  And it has such an politically ugly history in Hawaii.  But it is a symbol of "Aloha" today.  Here are 3 different objects that can all be called "pineapple" and can be a symbol of Hawaii.  One is from a farm in South America.  One is from the luau section of a party store.

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This photo was the beginning of a couple of photo projects, one of which was comprised of many photographs of different people wearing this wig and costume.  This was an exploration of how culture is appropriated, commercialized, and exploited.  I was watching a film about Iolani Luahine when I thought I wanted to address this topic.  Iolani was a hula dancer who was trained by a dancer from the royal court.  She was something of a priestess of hula.  Her dance was literally her religion.  It took her a lifetime to master.  Her teachers came from a time when there was strict protocol for dancers of hula.  Not anyone could be a hula dancer.  Obviously that is not the case any more.  Hula no longer belongs to an exclusive group.  Anyone who puts on a costume might think themselves a hula dancer.  I also want to do some kind of short film where I play a dashboard hula girl.  I just have to lose weight first...

AMALANI'S 1ST BIRTHDAY!!

         Amalani's birthday was so fun!  Her Hafoka grandparents had been looking forward to throwing her a big party, and they did not disappoint!  Her party was like a mini wedding reception - not too different from her dad's first birthday party, I've been told.  Gramma Petiola made her special outfit and Grampa Filikisi made sure there was a feast there.  Everyone ate until they were stuffed, and took home tons of food.  Bishop Ti conducted and everyone helped set up and clean up.  I was so worried Amalani would be fussy or tired, but she had a blast.  She had fun playing with all the kids and eating off of everyone's plates.  (I'm so glad she's social). 

 

 

                 She was so tired from the drive up so by the time it was time to get dressed, she was totally knocked out.  Gramma Tiola kept laughing that this was what all of Noke's 1st birthday pictures looked like...they couldn't get him to wake up.

 This picture is crimz but it's the only one of the 3 of us...and the sign...

Halfway through, Amalani had a costume change...

 Great-gramma Tofi

 Grampa Seti

The last of our clean-up crew...

two peas in a pod

 From the moment I knew that Amalani was coming - and that she was a girl - I knew there was a pretty good chance she might look like her dad.  Now, don't get me wrong, I think Inoke is a very nice looking man.  But at the time, imagining his face on a little girl did have me a little concerned.  Well, of course, it turned out that she does look like her daddy.  I love it!  

Anyway, looks aren't all they share...

 

They are both cougars...WOOT WOOT!

 They both don't like a dirty car...

 They love East High football...and Ti....

 

They both love to sleep...and eat...and sleep and eat...

And they both have crazy hair...but only one of them has crazy eyes...

recent paintings....

I thought I'd start using this to document the progress of my work.  I'm not good at keeping my ideas in one place and when I am able to find ideas that I put down I realize that I change my mind pretty frequently and am convinced of one thing one day and something totally different the next.  

Here are a few paintings that are in progress that are up on my studio walls at the moment.  For the time being, I am interested in identity and am addressing that through the lens of culture.  

I vacillate between feeling totally immersed in the each of the diverse socio-cultural groups that I associate myself with – or feeling like I am drifting on their peripheries, looking in at something vaguely familiar, even foreign.  I am passionately protective, and privately insecure about my place.  I am arrogant, and humbled to be part of something so exclusive.  

I deal with questions related to this dilemma daily.  My art reflects that.  With it, I struggle to distinguish the indistinguishable, for identity is fluid. Identity is subjective.  The very term “identity” deceptively seems to describe something finite.  I don’t know who the heck I am sometimes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I'm working on a series of Gauguin paintings where I am inserting myself, a modern Polynesian person, into the scene as the main figure.  I'm also working on a series of tropical plants in topiary pots.  I thought the juxtaposition of something seen as wild or utilitarian in one society, and only decorative/aesthetic in another might be interesting.

18x24" Oil on canvas

18x24" Oil on canvas

24x36" Oil on canvas

24x72" Oil on canvas - 2 panels

Inoke's Birthday

(Don't know how to work this well yet . . . but Tali can fix and arrange this later - haha).

I want to thank my beautiful wife and daughter for great decorations and a fun filled day for my birthday! I LOVE them both and am grateful to have spent today with them.




What I woke up to this morning!

My GIANT, Chocolate, Birthday Card

After Tucanos in Provo, Brazilian food
(Boa comida = Grande dia)

Summer 2011 part Deux

MEMORIAL DAY

Inoke's brother Junior was killed a year ago this past April.  As difficult as this last year has been for everyone who knew him, it has also been a year filled with love and strength.  Noke and his parents are such amazing examples to me of forgiveness and faith and hope.  Junior is remembered fondly and talked about often.  

We joined the rest of the family on Memorial Day to remember and decorate all the family gravestones.  Near Junior's grave are graves of several other members of the extended family.  The cemetery was packed all day and covered with camping chairs and blankets and flowers and flags. There was laughing and reminiscing and singing.  Good family day...

AT THE POOL...

 Amalani LOVES the water so we spent tons of time at the pool with the cousins.

 The day after Noke graduated he started working at Delta!  It was perfect timing because we 

had a lot of places to be this summer!  

Here's Amalani getting onto her first plane on the way to Gramma Peggy's.

 

GRAMMA PEGGY'S HOUSE

 Gramma treated the big girls to play-doh and popsicles...

 And the little girls just wanted to sit, relax, and enjoy the quiet.

    Thanks to Noke and Wayne and DELTA for making this trip happen.  Gramma's house has always been such a treat for Mary and I and our siblings.  It's so fun to watch the kids get excited about the same things we did - the pool, the huge play room, the treats in the fridge and the cereal cupboard, and the canopy bed.