THE WORK
You can see the bottom is koa, curly koa. It is the most beautiful koa. The wood looks almost 3D in its texture: you can see the golden, to the brown, to the dark brown.
In the sculpture you can see watermarks. For me this is the most valuable koa, because the koa touched the ground. It is connected to the ʻāina, and that is why it has these watermarks. I love it, because it is a real connection.
The name of the sculpture is Pono. Pono means balance. You can see some pieces added to the sculpture, in balance. Then there are a couple more pieces. One is in balance, and the other has some pukas, some holes.
The holes show that when you have something, anything, whatever you have, you can share it with people. That is why there are holes. The pukas are like a filter. They split what you have to different people. Whatever you have, money or water or whatever, you can share with everybody, but with balance.
I think you also need some kind of power. Right in the middle, holding this, is like hau, the wood they use for the hula skirts. This is the connection between the ocean, the water and the wood. It is wood, but it is connected to the ocean, because you cure it in the ocean to make the fabric. This fabric is a richness. It is a real connection between the wood and the ocean.
There is one piece in the middle that is like a hammer. When you take this piece from the sculpture, you can hold it and feel the power. You have the power. You are strong. This piece shows the balance, the power and the sharing. It is the balance to have pono in your life.
I always invite you to touch the sculpture, remove the pieces and enjoy it. Just feel it. If you like it, it is right there to enjoy.
Mahalo.
DETAIL
SIGNATURE + DOCUMENTATION
Signature and documentation available from the artist when requested.
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FROM MAUI TO YOU
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ABOUT AVI MOLINAS
Avi Molinas is a self-taught painter and sculptor from Barcelona. On Maui since 2006, he works from Maliko Gulch on the North Shore, in oil and in wood carved from gifted Maui timber. For him, painting and sculpture are two ways of looking for the same thing: human presence held in material.
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