Exploring My Heritage through Kapa
Artist Talk & Exhibit
Embracing my Golden Brown Heritage with Artist Stewart Wong James & Janie Washington Cultural Center The Artist Talk on May 3 was a big success. It was recorded and will be posted here soon.Open Studio
Burke Museum Artist Studio Kapa demo with a focus on the use of Broussonetia Papyrifera (Paper Mulberry), Wauke in Hawaiian Burke Museum of Natural History Hold the dates: June 7th & 8th Details are posted on the Burke Museum WebsiteArtist Statement
Kapa, also known as bark cloth, is a traditional Hawaiian textile made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree (Wauke in Hawaiian) 1. I grew up with kapa in my Hawaiian homeland. In 2023 I returned home to Oahu and learned how to make kapa from the local Wauke and also learned the tools used to produce it. I’ve spent the past year working in my studio experimenting and honing my skills and have shared my experience with the community in open studios at the Burke Museum. I’ve found working with kapa to be a transformative experience. The process is meditative and spiritual; it requires knowledge, patience, and experience. Kapa is a holistic and therapeutic experience demanding a clear mind and positive thinking. When I'm not feeling in balance, physically or spiritually, working with kapa centers me. My condition, my life force, my mana as we call it in Hawai'i, reenergizes. This is why I use the term holistic. The life of the Wauke is the embodiment of all life. When I work with the plant's inner bark to transform it into kapa, I am establishing a relationship with the plant and it's life force. Exploring and working with kapa has renewed my appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of my homeland, Hawai'i, and the importance of preserving traditional art forms. It is my way of staying connected to my ethnic and cultural heritage and to the spiritual land of the Hawaiian people and my ancestry; it provides me with a deep connection to the natural world. My work is a celebration of the beauty and resilience of Hawaiian culture, inspired in a contemporary context. I hope to inspire others to connect with their own cultural heritage through art.
Acknowledgments
