Inspired by ʻōlelo noʻeau: ‘A‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia (No task is too big when done together by all)
He Mooolelo no ka Lawaia ana: Ua akamai kekahi poe kanaka Hawaii i ka lawaia, no ia mea, ua kapa ia lakou, he poe lawaia. O ka makau kekahi mea e lawaia ai. O ka upena kekahi, a o ka hinai kekahi.
A Story of Fishing: Some of the people of Hawaii were very knowledgeable about fishing, and they were called fisher-people. The hook was one thing used in fishing. The net was another, and the basket trap, another.
Artist Statement: A reminder and memory of the Native Hawaiian tie to the land and sea and one of the few fishing methods that women and children were allowed to participate in. The hīna’i woven fish trap basket sculpture that I have created in upcountry Kula, is 6’ in diameter and painted a royal Hawaiian Yellow, a symbol of power, strength and royalty.
He Mooolelo no ka Lawaia ana: Ua akamai kekahi poe kanaka Hawaii i ka lawaia, no ia mea, ua kapa ia lakou, he poe lawaia. O ka makau kekahi mea e lawaia ai. O ka upena kekahi, a o ka hinai kekahi.
A Story of Fishing: Some of the people of Hawaii were very knowledgeable about fishing, and they were called fisher-people. The hook was one thing used in fishing. The net was another, and the basket trap, another.
Artist Statement: A reminder and memory of the Native Hawaiian tie to the land and sea and one of the few fishing methods that women and children were allowed to participate in. The hīna’i woven fish trap basket sculpture that I have created in upcountry Kula, is 6’ in diameter and painted a royal Hawaiian Yellow, a symbol of power, strength and royalty.
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About the Artist: Jessica Kay Bodner is an American artist Born in Chicago, Ill. Metal sculpture, installation art and light sculpture have been the focus of her career which spans over 25 years . Her award winning artwork has been commissioned for public, private and commercial projects nationally and internationally. Influenced by Nature, science and archeology, Jessicas work has been showcased in galleries, public exhibitions and outdoor installations. Woven steel vessel forms partially buried in the earth are reminiscent of archeological artifacts, a bygone era of humans and nature living in harmony. Her steel beehive light sculptures combine form and light to create texture and patterns on the surrounding surfaces as a double dimension of drawing. Suspended night sky inspired pieces float orbs of light on spiraling tube steel that seem to spin and move like cirrus clouds in the sky. Colorful outdoor freestanding sculptures inspired by ancient themes in nature blend with the grander and beauty inherent in outdoor native landscapes, from large nautilus forms to abstract gestures, metal is twisted and hewn to create woven thickets where light and shadow pass through creating an interplay between the natural backdrop, the changing seasons and direction of the sun. (JessicaKayBodner.com)
Learn More: Blessing of Hīnaʻi by award-winning Maui-based sculptor Jessica Bodner (12/30/19) | Interwoven (12/30/19) |Small Town Big Art: Blessing of Hīnaʻi by Maui-Based Sculptor on Friday (12/31/19) | Join Us for SMALL TOWN * BIG ART Blessing on Friday (1/2/20) | Little Free Library (1/2/20) | FILM | PHOTOS |
UNIQUE COLLABORATION
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Award-winning sculptor Jessica Bodner first saw the 2020 SMALL TOWN * BIG ART call to artists in February 2019. “The very minute I saw the opportunity, I started working on an idea,” says Bodner, who is well known for woven steel forms reminiscent of archeological subject matter, “I have always been inspired by basket making traditions of Hawaii, so I began spending a lot of time at the Historical Society and put together my proposal.”
Bodner’s selected ʻōlelo noʻeau 'A 'ohe hana nui ke alu 'ia, (No task is too big when done together by all), was paired with a plan to hand sculpt a six-to-eight foot work from new and reclaimed steel, woven and welded to create a dramatic oversized version of a hīna’i which would serve “as a reminder and memory of the Native Hawaiians tie to the land and sea and one of the few fishing methods that women and children were allowed to participate in,” according to the artist. While working with the Public Works Wailuku Highways Division crew to help identify and install a base for the 250-pound sculpture, ST*BA met Eagle Scout candidate Jonathan Merchant. We invited his “Little Free Library” Wailuku project into the fold, and commissioned artist Amanda Joy Bowers, who meticulously painted a hīnaʻi in her collaborative Resemble The 'Alalā mural earlier in 2019, to hand paint the library. Together with Bodner’s installation, these projects illustrate the proverb "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Both the sculpture and Little Free Library are stationed outside of the Safety Office on Market Street in Wailuku, and were celebrated during a public blessing ceremony during this time last year. LEARN MORE |
