Description
“HAWAII: Heaven or Hell” (acrylic on heavy watercolor paper) challenges the romantic image of Hawaii as an uncomplicated paradise by holding its beauty alongside catastrophe, loss, and colonial history. Inspired by the 2023 Lahaina fire, which destroyed much of the historic Maui town, the painting weaves Japanese bombers recalling Pearl Harbor, burned vehicles and a fire-consumed building, volcanic and oceanic imagery, and a longboat among palms, coral, fish, and sea turtles. These layered symbols invite reflection on an island home marked by natural wonder and cultural richness, yet vulnerable to disaster and shaped by the enduring effects of militarization, commercialization, and colonization.
