What are you reading?

There's a new show I'm working on in Waikiki, so I've been reading up a lot on classic Waikiki and place names, including "Waikiki: In the Wake of Dreams" by Edgy Lee, and "Waikiki: a History of Forgetting and Remembering" by Gaye Chan and Andrea Feeser. I'm also reading "Moku'ula" by P. Christiaan Kleiger. ... And I'm working on a project that's not happening until 2010, regarding Poli'ahu, the goddess of Mauna Kea. So right now I'm reading "The History of Kanalu: Mo'oku-'auhau'elua" by Benjamin K. Namakaokeahi, translated by Malcolm Naea Chun. ...

How did you discover Namakaokeahi's book?

It was recommended to me by people who know Mauna Kea. ... I don't have a lot of time, so when I'm reading, it's always late night or early morning. The way I create is to keep getting information and letting what I digest come out artistically. The more information I get, the more tools I have.

Does immersion in old tales like this help you better bridge the old and new and create works that represent us today?

I try to understand the complexity of our ancients and try to reconnect this recent and old time to me. You know, I'm the one that's a modernist and becomes an abstractor, but they also had to think abstractly to understand the stars and understand navigation. To try and decipher that code or unspokenness, because the Hawaiian culture was oral, it's not easy, even in the written realm. So if I can get a glimpse of ultimately what the message is, then I can go back to the ones that have knowledge and ask them what they think about this book. It's the start of building the bridge, always starting from the base, trying to get to the deepest core.