With Hawai‘i’s vibrant art scene continuing to color public spaces around O‘ahu, and following another successful week of mural installations courtesy of World Wide Walls, the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation is proud to organize an urban art-themed showcase and discussion as part of our annual Talk Story Festival!
On Friday, October 11, Mother Waldron Neighborhood Park will host the 36th Talk Story Festival, a historic park surrounded by years of internationally recognized public art. The event will start at 5 p.m. with a live painting demonstration and in-depth artists panel featuring some of the State’s premier artists and public art advocates including:
Jasper Wong: one of the most prominent and recognized figures in the urban art scene locally and internationally, Jasper is the founder of World Wide Walls, a consortium of artists who have revitalized urban landscapes in over 22 cities around the globe with a diverse array of public murals. Locally, Jasper and his team have added color and life to Kaka‘ako and Honolulu since 2010, and just finished their 2024 efforts with murals at three Kalihi schools. Jasper is an artist, illustrator, curator, and instructor in his own right, co-founding the Lana Lane Studios and teaching art classes at Pālama Settlement in his free time.
Solomon Enos: a Native Hawaiian artist, illustrator, and visionary, Solomon hails from Mākaha and has utilized a wide variety of artforms for over 30 years, including: oil paintings, book illustrations, murals, game designs, and augmented-reality installations. Solomon harnesses his indigenous perspective to convey themes of collective-consciousness, ancestry, identity, and our place in nature; pushing the boundaries between contemporary and traditional expression with a personal preference for science fiction and fantasy.
MelónJames: you’re reading that correctly, there’s no space between “Melón” and “James.” That’s because his style and roots blend from past to present in a seamless expression of boldness and self-reflection. Drawing from his early days as a graffiti artist in Chicago, Melón revels at the challenge of placing his art in unique locations, while bouncing between elaborate text and amorphous figures open to audience interpretation. Melón also provides space for other artists to showcase and sell their works in his newly-opened Gangway Gallery, which he launched with Jessica “Kyro” Serrano.
Jon Lee: is the Creative Director for Mālama Kipuka Hawai‘i, a local non-profit who have helped revitalize and beautify several City parks over the past seven years, including: Cartwright Neighborhood Park, Smith-Beretania Park, Kawaiaha‘o Mini Park, and Mother Waldron Neighborhood Park. An architect by trade, Jon draws on his passion for urban studies, exhibition design, and art to instill an element of accessibility and transformative design into his community endeavors.
Koa Kuroda: is the founder and lead designer of Gen Breakers, a community group focused on reducing the cycle of poverty and generational trauma by pursuing passions such as skateboarding, art, education, and mental health awareness. Upon returning to O‘ahu in 2005, Koa became more involved in the art community. He has now established himself as dedicated crewmember of the World Wide Walls efforts.
The event is free and open to participants of all ages, with everyone also invited to explore the amazing street art around Kaka‘ako! For more information visit our website at bit.ly/TalkStoryFest
Mahalo to our participating artists, and to Mālama Kīpuka for their support of this year’s festival, previous art installations at this park, and continued efforts to improve and activate City parks around town!
As Hawai‘i’s oldest and largest storytelling celebration, this event honors the tradition of perpetuating Hawaiian culture and heritage through oral history. In its 36 years of existence, the festival has been presented in many locations and adapted to the times, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the storytelling sessions from the 32nd and 33rd Annual Talk Story Festivals remain available to everyone around the world through our DPR social media platforms. Particularly DPR’s YouTube Channel at bit.ly/DPRyoutube
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YouTube: bit.ly/DPRyoutube Twitter: @honolulu_parks Instagram: @honolulu_parks
Facebook: facebook.com/honolulu.parks Nextdoor: bit.ly/DPRnextdoor
Website: honolulu.gov/parks
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