Contrast Magazine

Checkout more of Kamea’s work here or in Contrast#08.

Photos by Riana Stellburg

New works by fine artist Kamea Hadar, who is featured in Issue #08, opens on Friday, July 20 at Fresh Cafe.

“To me, being an artist is to create something; to make something out of nothing; or putting together different ingredients to make something new.”- Kamea Namba Hadar, fine artist and CFO Pow Wow Hawai’i.

Pow Wow Founder Jasper Wong at Fresh Cafe/Loft In Space.

Pow Wow Hawai’i 2012 is upon us. The artists and media gathered at Fresh Cafe/Loft In Space for the first time this year for a traditional Hawaiian blessing and wall assignments.

Art in motion:Aaron De La Cruz and Christa Wittmier standing in front of CW's BMW that Aaron painted.

“Everything has been increased by triple, as far as how many artists are going to be here, how many walls are going to be painted and where you’ll actually see the artwork,” says Christa Wittmier, who serves as marketing and entertainment director for Pow Wow Hawai’i. “A lot of things that Jasper [Wong] said in part 3 of the Pow Wow Hawai’i video series on Hypebeast has actually already come to fruition. We worked really hard these past few months to make that happen. Partnering with Kamehameha Schools, and working with the land they have in the Kaka’ako area.”

Matt Bruening rocking the In4mation x Vans Chukka Low Rattles.

From left to right: ER Crew's Ryan Nakagawa, Pow Wow CFO Kamea Hadar and fashion designer Matt Bruening.

“We’re painting murals all over the whole community,” says Kamea Hadar about this year’s Pow Wow. “I was in San Francisco recently and you see so much art just walking around the city and in Honolulu that’s non-existent. And, I think part of the reason why is there’s the whole natural beauty of Hawaii is enough. We’re spoiled by the natural beauty of Hawaii so we don’t feel the need to beautify our buildings because there is enough beauty around us anyway. Now that Honolulu is growing and there a lot of really urban areas in Honolulu I think we need to do what other cities do and beautify it with art and I think Kaka’ako is doing that.”

Kahu giving mana'o and the blessing.

Pow Wow Hawai'i class of 2012.

HBTV Pow Wow Hawaii 2011 Part 3 from HBTV on Vimeo.

HBTV POW WOW Hawai’i 2011 Part 2 from HBTV on Vimeo.

To help make sure there is a Pow Wow 2012 then donate here.

In an idea that came to fruition in the beginning of 2010 in Hong Kong, POW WOW was created as an exhibition of creative talents which stressed more so the background and development of art. As opposed to the often seen focus on the finished product, POW WOW set forth in giving the public access to artists in their element as they went to work on their respective pieces. In this series, we take a look at POW WOW 2011 which took place in founder Jasper Wong’s native Hawai’i and the comprehensive process that surrounded the event. While Hawai’i has had its fair share of creative output, POW WOW has represented the island’s most concentrated effort to help push and build the local artistic community. A Kickstarter page has recently been started in anticipation of next year’s 2012 event, and donations can be made here.

We bring you Part 1 of our series on POW WOW Hawai’i 2011 which took place earlier this year in February. The multi-day event offered a number of sights and sounds as an international group of artists each went about creating their artwork amidst an open environment.

This house was designed by Kamea Hadar and his father on a trip back from Israel. It will house the visiting media and Pow Wow artists. Located deep in The Country, this house will be a refreshing, secluded place to rest from creating.

All images by Paul Kema

With the current state of the economy, a freelance journalist sometimes needs to take a side job here or there to pay the bills. I was standing in front of Home Depot, waiting for a job offer, when I bumped into Kamea and photographer Paul Kema. They were looking for a garoot and I was looking for a free lunch and an honest dayʻs work. So I jumped in as a laborer to help prepare for Pow Wow.

The lumber in the back of the truck is for the canvases and the bed of the truck is full of porous rocks that will be used in an imu, which is an underground oven traditionally used by Hawaiians.

Luckily for me, Kamea and Paul grabbed all the rocks in the morning in Papakolea so I didn’t need to carry any. There were choke rocks, too. They were also pretty heavy.

Rocking out.

This is the first time that visitors will be using the Hadar’s house, and Pow Wow creator Jasper Wong came through to check it out. There are tons of details in the house: custom wood trim, multi-colored rooms, cool handles and a rad railing on the second floor.

Jasper Wong and I admire a metal and rope railing that Kamea (in the green shirt) and his brother built.

Paul bought me lunch: spicy ahi/hawaiian poke bowl from the store down the street. Visiting artists are going to be loving this raw fish delicacy.

After lunch we headed to the workshop in the Hadar complex, which is down a dirt road from where the artists will be staying. It’s on the same property, but isn’t visible or heard from the big house.

This is where wood becomes an object.

Japser measured twice. Kamea cut once. Paul and I sanded and blazed. We created the frames that canvas would be stretched over so creative expression could manifest into a tangible form, man. (cough, cough)

Power tools are manly.

To see the fruits of their labor come to this…

Come checkout the artist (Kamea Hadar on the right) and the muse (Damien Strand on the left) at The Manifest, located on Hotel Street across from Bar 35, on Saturday September 18. Doors open at 6 p.m. Kamea will also be debuting a brand new painting titled “Bloodline” that evening at The Manifest. From what I hear, the painting depicts a chicken fighter and his prize bird. Sounds edgy! I dig the concept. You will too.