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"In order for us to tell our story and make it important not only to our own community, but for it to live beyond our shores and effect people throughout the world – that's where Richard has a part in this project, and it allowed the six stories that we have to come to life." – Sissy Lake-Farm
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Aloha <<First Name>>,
We are so pleased to present our latest ST*BA project documentary, featuring the artwork of Richard O'Connor of Ace & Son Moving Picture Company (Brooklyn, NY) and the Master's thesis project of Ball State University's Center for Emerging Media Design and Development (Muncie, IN). Each of these project pieces grew organically through our new story-focused initiative, which was prompted by a 2021 artist residency with Leilehua Yuen (Hilo, HI). We encourage you to take some time to explore each individual process through the linked project pages, and to leave your comments, ideas and -- ideally -- stories that might be prompted along the way. Please enjoy.
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CLICK ABOVE for Small Town, Big Stories (6-min project documentary)
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 Last week, our "Hui Mo'olelo" completed a series of storytelling workshops led by Leilehua Yuen. This group of individuals representing Kahoʻolawe, Maui Academy of Performing Arts, Wailuku visual arts, the Department of Health, The University of Hawai'i Foundation, and various consultancies are now being paired with kūpuna to create a 40-minute audio-recorded talk-story. Armed with Leilehua's teachings as well as best practices from a wide range of storytelling and oral history experts, the hui's intention is to capture an authentic moment of connection through stories that are embedded in a Maui sense of place. When ready, these recordings will form the basis of ST*BA's next call-to-artists, in search of proposals to translate one or more recordings into a work of public art. (We appreciate your patience as we schedule and complete these individual recordings in the coming weeks!) Check out a recent example of Public Art Inspired by Wailuku Storytellers HERE.
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On Friday, May 20, 2022, we joined the Hālau of ʻŌiwi Art open house event, which was held at MAPA's ground level Promenade space. In addition to enjoying music, hula, food and fun, our goal was to collect feedback on our Wailuku Arts District Plan community survey, which has now garnered 150+ responses!
Thanks to ST*BA's latest grant through the National Endowment for the Arts, our collective is now collaborating with Wailuku-based arts programs, businesses and cultural practitioners to designate Wailuku Town as an official arts district. This massive effort to coordinate facility and public space planning, management, maintenance and collaborative programming will result in an interconnected destination that maximizes the public's opportunities to experience, learn and celebrate the arts. In order to do this effectively, we need to know how you would like to participate. Tell us HERE.
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June Artist: Bobby Zokaites
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Four weeks from today, we'll be celebrating our next ST*BA installation: Wailuku Wings by artist Bobby Zokaites.
Six months in the making, this larger-than-life butterfly sculpture marks a new partnership with Imua Family Services, who commissioned the public artwork with the hope of providing a visual representation and feeling of transformation for the children served through the Imua Discovery Garden.
As a work of publicly created artwork, Zokaites took part in community consultations with Hawaiʻi Land Trust Chief Conservation Officer Scott Fisher, Ph.D; Kim Thayer of Mauna Kahālāwai; the Bailey House Museum's Kimo Guequierre; master lauhala weaver and Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission Executive Director Mike Nahoʻopiʻi; Bishop Museum Entomology Collections Manager Jeremy Frank, Ph.D.; and ST*BA + Imua team members -- both virtually from his Tempe, AZ studio as well as in Wailuku during a February site visit. Watch our Facebook and Instagram pages for weekly butterfly-inspired creative challenges and stay tuned for details regarding a very special June 20 event!
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Would you like to display our Small Town, Big Stories story-prompt cards at your place of business? Each of seven card designs features a value identified by the Ball State University cohort, inspired by the artwork and associated artist statement. These are FREE for members of the public, and make a great takeaway experience! Let us know.
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In partnership with the County of Maui, Hale Hō‘ike‘ike at the Bailey House/ Maui Historical Society, and the newly formed Maui Public Art Corps, SMALL TOWN * BIG ART pairs professional artists with community consultants to co-create public art that celebrates Wailuku's history, culture and sense of place.
Engaging the public in both the process and the product, visual, performance and experiential art installations are created through community input that align with ‘ōlelo from Mary Kawena Pukui's ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Political Sayings. Through many hands and many voices, these creative interpretations represent a revitalized identity for this small town with the BIGGEST heart. Learn more. |
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