Palani Road mural
Palani Road mural
How about we paint the town to bring light?
While driving on Palani Road from Alii Drive and ascending towards Queen Kaahumanu Highway, you would’ve observed a large mural on the right-hand corner of Palani Road and Kuakini Highway, a colorful painting that describes culture, hip and charm.
This mural was only up for 72 hours, hence it established a modern look for this town.
Now, we the wonderful community of Kona, see a white wall. We have seen a random person being assigned to cover a painting, someone’s hard work, a work of art, a masterpiece through the eye of the beholder.
According to printed sources, the artist David Choe, a resident of L.A., just visited Kona, painted an exquisite mural to illuminate this town with culture and vibrancy.
And all was taken away with white paint today, buffed and eliminated. According to printed resources, Choe stated that those who eliminated his painting said his work was “black, too ethnic, morbid, or even non-Christian.”
It is said the Kailua Village Business Improvement District and the state/county had a big part in destroying the artist’s dream.
Well, I think that’s biased.
Do they know the definition of ethnic? Culture?
Do they know Kona is full of history and culture?
I have illustrated and published five Hawaiian language children stories and as a professional visual artist, I am offended that a mundane community member(s) would take away what brought color, light, smiles or evidently culture to the communities.
It is apparent that some of these leaders in town were extraordinarily prosaic, in some sort, so boring, enjoy waking up to old buildings on Alii Drive, buildings eaten away from termites and it is evident these people who eliminated this beautiful painting aren’t global thinkers or artists in town.
It was a mural of an exquisite mermaid, with a honu (turtle)-ninja, that describes power. It was priceless, Braddah IZ Kamakawiwoole, honoring a legend in Hawaiian music, an endangered species, a bird (manu), a hee (octopus), that signified the mermaid’s hair, a vibrant jellyfish and with artist’s signatures on the bottom.
It wasn’t morbid. It wasn’t deathly. It was cultural, captivating, etc. The mural was ethical. It wasn’t defamatory, nor it’ll create a libel case. Was it libelous?
Artists all over San Fransico create murals and it’s ethical for the most part. Are we going to eliminate the large mural above KMart in Kona? The mural that exemplifies the beauty of our ocean, our naia (dolphins) or kohola (whales)?
Are we going to discuss this mural to the Kailua Village Business Improvement District or state/county building licensing and say the mural in KMart is too ethnic? Morbid? Non-Christian? Dark and obscure?
I use pencil or pen drawings, pastels, paints. I even use various visual art techniques.
The methods used to create this mural wasn’t unethical and I am ashamed by the actions taken by the ignorance of the board of directors or whoever in charge of destroying one’s masterpiece.
How about building an actual facility for the farmer’s market so we don’t have to tell people to head over to the teared and ravaged tarps on Alii Drive?
How about repainting the buildings on Alii Drive to colors like yellow, royal blue or lavender, to bring light and happiness to this town full of different ethnicities, cultures, history and education?
Nothing more to say, but ignorance and boredom are key messages.
This town needs light like this artist.
David Choe can now return home and say the aloha spirit from Kona was a little different from the norm. Now, that’s a shame.
If you want to view some of Choe’s intriguing and captivating artwork from all over the world, log onto Facebook and type his name, David Choe. The photos are public. You will observe the intricate details of the latest mural established on Palani Road. Then, you’ll see a random person painting over his work. So disheartening and humiliating.
I appreciate art. I appreciate positive changes. And I appreciate respect and someone out there has none of these qualities.
Value original art. Have an open-mind, and learn to respect.
Kalani Pea
Kona