Mele o Nā Kaukani Wai (Song of a Thousand Waters)
2018
Medium
mulberry papers, plant dyes, mineral pigments, gouache, clay (beads), cotton thread, metallic thread
Measurements
212.5 × 346.0 × 28.0 cm (variable) (installed)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2022
© Lehuauakea
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
Mele O Nā Kaukani Wai is a mixed-media, wall-based installation that speaks to the importance of integrating Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge and Western science in the fight against global environmental crises. Lehuauakea uses traditional ʻohe kāpala (carved bamboo printing tools) to print patterns that tell stories through intergenerational symbolism. The patterns use the metaphor of the mixing of freshwater and saltwater, where the river meets the sea to portray this complex issue. The work envisions a more ecologically equitable collective future through a contemporary Native Hawaiian lens.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Portland, Oregon, United States
Accession Number
2022.826
Department
International Sculpture