Artist statement,

Self Portraits,

I walked into the studio to find it in a state of disarray. I guess that’s what happens when the code to the door is the same combination on my luggage.  Either way, happy portraits were out of the picture.

I cranked metal and just started shooting film. I had an idea for a real grungy and contrasted feel for my photos. I added a red filter to the front so there would be no mid tones. I also brought zoom of the camera to as close to 18mm as I could so I could incorporate the entire scene. I didn’t want to take photos that made me look good. That was the last thing that I wanted. I wanted to show it all, and I wanted to show how pissed I was at the moment.

What turned out was somewhat acceptable by my standards. To be honest I was unimpressed with this series of photos because I felt the film could only do so well when trying to capture the moment and the detail.

Depicted in the shoot is me doing a Haka about Paikea a Maori hero and legend. I spent 6 month in Dunedin on the south island and while there my life changed. Learning this dance and getting in touch with some of my distant Polynesian cousins was a changing experience for me. I am somewhat distant from my own Hawaiian roots as most of us are now so this was one way I felt like I could belong somewhere.

The Maori have a belief called Whakapapa. This concept relates everything in existence to everything else. They believe that the birds are the cousins of the fish who are the cousins of us. in their eyes we are all equal and we must take care of the environment because it is directly related to us. This concept also relates back to lineage and the transgression of genes and culture from one generation to the next. The Hawaiians and the Maori both come from the same ancestors that migrated out of the east pacific. If I could trace my heritage back to when my ancestors arrived in the Hawaiian islands over two thousand years ago I too might be able to relate myself to someone who traveled on of the first seven canoes to reach Aotearoa, (New Zealand). But because I cant find my roots I will go back as much as possible. But for me that just means identifying with one of the closest cultures to mine. Maori.

Kanoa