Dogeaters Manga | Mankind failed to transcend the Petroleum Age

Powow murals @ Kakaako, Honolulu

Posted on 02.15.16 under doze green, Estria Miyashiro, John Carr, kakaako, Powow, tristian eaton

The day started with a view of a strange object off of Ala Moana Beach.

It’s a Sea-based X-band Radar, based mostly at Pearl Harbor.

Perhaps the wall mural scene will be painted over when the railway comes through — like the Powow murals get painted over every one or two years. Established by Estria Miyashiro 6 years ago, Powow has become a showcase for world-class wall art in Honolulu. Estria initially did murals that told ancient Hawaiian stories. Now the vibe is very international. Estria now heads up the NPO Estria.org which paints Hawaiian murals on all the Hawaii islands. He involves students and volunteers and has been a force in raising Hawaiian awareness.

We’ve known Estria since he participated in the Yo Peace! show curated by John Carr right after the invasion of Afghanistan following 9/11.

We met for breakfast at the Kokohead Café in Kaimuki.

Then headed to Kakaako.

Doze Green mural. Iida’s is a gallery that used to be on the first floor of Ala Moana Shopping Center. Obviously the mall has gotten much too upscale for almost any local business. Only Shirokiya remains…

Portals to another world.

Tristan Eaton mural.

Both Iolani School graduates: Estria and a 3-D muralist.

This is a 3-D mural which really pops when you put on the glasses.

And as everyday must end…

Back on the farm…

Posted on 02.11.16 under Uncategorized

This papaya is a male, apparently.

The next set of ku’i ai

Posted on 02.06.16 under glass, Malcolm Wong, poi pounders

Or pounders. These are the latest.

These are a hair under 4 lbs which is a good weight for lengthy pounding. When you get to the 5-6 lb size, you better be pretty strong!

The bottom, looking up.

The other bottom.

Sweet 16

Posted on 02.04.16 under Uncategorized

There’s a reason why they call it that…

sweet 16

sweet 16 again

Once you leave that sweet spot, you can’t go back.

What is Art?

Posted on 02.01.16 under a fact has no appearance, art, Artist's shit, Graffiti Kings, Piero Manzoni, Redza Piyadasa

A heated rant has been making the rounds from Graffiti Kings about how most of “modern art” is crap. How Piero Manzoni’s cans of shit are literally shit. Mocking Matisse and the Turner Award winners as a load of shite. This video has been shared over 8,000 times so it has resonated among the Facebook denizens.

“Graffiti Artist For Hire” Darren Cullen aka SER “London Graffiti Artist”:

In their own words “Hailing from South London SER began his graffiti career way back in 1983, at the very birth of British graffiti; he is regarded as a UK graffiti pioneer and king. His path in graffiti started like many graffiti artists with the birth of hip hop culture in the early 80s. Exploring every aspect of the graffiti writing scene SER found himself emblazoning his name across the streets and walls of London. This led to a greater need to increase his presence to the public so began the systematic destruction of the bus, train networks and rail infrastructure across the UK.

“There then comes a point in every Graffiti artist’s life when their illegal activity becomes of great interest to the Police and local authorities. This is the time when a decision must be made as having a cell as a second home isn’t that appealing. This decision spurred SER into forming the ‘Graffiti kings’ the UK’s first professional graffiti art company and graffiti artist agency. Remaining at the forefront and cutting edge of graffiti culture, this collective of artistic individuals range from; graffiti artists, graphic and fashion designers, film directors, musicians to poets. The Graffiti Kings are a powerful visionary force when it comes to coming up with new creative ideas.”

Street art is definitely part of the ART CONTEXT, but so are so many other activities and institutions. The market place, auction houses, art schools, museums, galleries. To rant about Modern Art is like complaining about the weather. It’s history. It is what it is. It was what it was.

Last week, I visited Singapore to take in “A FACT HAS NO APPEARANCE: ART BEYOND THE OBJECT,” Redza Piyadasa, an exhibition at the Singapore National Gallery, that raised questions about the meaning of art objects and images beyond the visual. The context is what creates the perspective for meaning. Even if the image or object is a re-creation of related to the physical world.

It was also Art Week. Art Stage at the Marina Sands Bay was the biggest venue. Art for investment and high end interior decorating. It’s art, I guess. But once it hist the marketplace, it’s business.

In its purest form, art is a process. And if the practitioner is the only one who considers what that his activity is art, is it like the proverbial tree falling in the forest? Do you need validation from society?

Well these artists have been validated, by money. And their work is expensive.