kīpuka amongst the tallgrass

kīpuka amongst the tallgrass

LibArt 2023

When directly translated, kīpuka means “variation or change of form” in Hawaiian. In geology it refers to an area of land that has been surrounded by lava flows, whether it was due to slanted hills that cause two lava flows to meet again at the bottom or because high ridges did not allow the lava to flow over it. The appearance of a kīpuka is like an “island” in the middle of a sea of lava. The vegetation that grows on kīpuka serve important ecological purposes like acting as a place of refuge for various species of animals and plants to thrive. They can also assist in recolonizing areas with newer lava flows and in a sense offer a form of isolation and protection for native animals and allows organisms to evolve. The pattern I chose for the dress upon my body is of the kalo plant, which is known as a “canoe plant.” This is a plant that made its way to Hawai’i via Polynesians upon their canoe and arrival to the Hawaiian islands. I liken my body to be a different kind of vessel that has brought thoughts, ideals, and other forms of knowledge to my present environment. And in many ways, I’m learning new things about my home in Hawai'i and thriving despite my own state of isolation from the familiarity of all things related to home. This print was created for my thesis exhibition and was the final piece that closed the show as a way to represent myself in the present and for the future whilst acknowledging my new home in Kansas.

Tiana Honda

2023

Held by creator

Watercolor screenprint and photolithographic monoprint