Artist based in Los Angeles, CA
Dane Hiʻipoi Nakama, Portrait of the Artist
Tell us about yourself, what's your background?
Growing up my dad shared with me one of his favorite TV series from when he was a kid, Kikaida, a Japanese android superhero series - pretty similar to power rangers. This was a big trend in Hawai’i in the early 2000’s, but because this show debuted during my dad’s generation there were seldom any toys from the show available. So out of a type of creative necessity I started to make my own figurines out of paper towel, scotch tape, and sharpie marker. From the age of 4/5 onward I would continue to make a variety of objects - with my birthday gifts switching from pre-made toys to being rolls of aluminum foil, cardboard, and other random materials. My poor parents thought that this young ingenuity meant that I was destined to become an engineer, but instead I became a hippy-dippy ceramicist/ painter/ maker.
hole hole install, 2024
15” by 9” by 9”
12” by 10” by 10”
Ceramic and beeswax candle
burlap sack, sand and sugar on wooden pallet
charcoal and locals brand slippahs
I am a 4th generation Japanese Ryukyuan (indigenous Okinawan) born and raised on the island of Oahu, Hawai’i - and though my sister and I are half half, we are actually the only two of our cousins to be of these two ethnic backgrounds - with the rest of our family being Native Hawaiian, Caucasian, Portuguese, Chinese, and the list goes on. This cultural mashup is pretty common in Hawai’i and greatly influenced my approach to making today. From depicting island nostalgia and cultural hybridity, to fleshing out concepts and nuances of indigeneity and settler colonialism - a lot of my work has to do with the confusing, layered, and fluid aspects of my childhood.
Night Fishing at Puʻuloa, 2024
24” by 60” each
sumi ink, graphite, sand, mother of pearl, opihi shells, pumice, gloss medium, and crackle medium on wood panel
Fast forward to my undergraduate experience, I jumped around a lot - starting off at Chapman University in Orange County, CA - then studying abroad at Temple University in Tokyo - then transferring to CalArts in Valencia, CA - and then moving back home to Hawai’i because of the pandemic. While back home I helped to start a small ceramic studio/ art school called fishschool Hawai’i. I served as director for the space for 2 and a half years until I got into the UCLA graduate program for ceramics where I am currently studying. Funny enough UCLA, being a 3yr MFA program, will be the longest I’ve stayed at a single university.
Night Fishing at Puʻuloa (details), 2024
24” by 60” each
sumi ink, graphite, sand, mother of pearl, opihi shells, pumice, gloss medium, and crackle medium on wood panel
“From depicting island nostalgia and cultural hybridity, to fleshing out concepts and nuances of indigeneity and settler colonialism - a lot of my work has to do with the confusing, layered, and fluid to define aspects of my childhood.”
Scenes of work in progress in the studio
What are you currently working on and where did the inspiration for it come from?
Right now, I have been working on some essays. I am not too sure if their final form will stay as essays - perhaps poetry or turn into artworks - but they are, more or less, explorations of some thoughts I’ve had on indigeneity, tradition, and deconstructing colonial law.
Scenes of work in progress in the studio
I think my “island dream journal” method of making has grown stronger in that I am now more clearly seeing the connections between myth, history, and haunting. I have been trying to connect these ideas to better address more historic issues.
The fact that I don’t quite have the words or visuals for what I’m thinking about is what’s making me excited.
cry like a lion, beg like a dog, 2024
25” by 45” by 36”
Ceramic - accompanied with books, oyster and abalone shells, pearls, unfired ceramic, sand, newspaper, beer - served with awamori
https://www.instagram.com/p/DDHx9DaviME/?img_index=1
Innovation does not only happen in the field of technology — it occurs everyday in a creative practice. What do you do for inspiration?
Recently, I’ve been finding inspiration in the “mundane” parts to my life. Going on walks, admiring how light hits plants at different times of day, listening to some island music when I’m homesick - all of these let my mind wander, becoming a very productive form of boredom. As much as I gather information from the rabbit holes of interests I fall down - I find that what really gets me going is noticing the beauty and complexity of things I usually take for granted. I often strive for my work to have others share in that same experience.
Artist in the studio
Describe your practice and process. Where do ideas start for you? In the studio or being in the world?
A lot of my work starts with research in one form or another. Whether it be going into the archives to study colonial history, or going to the club to study queer liminality and dating rituals. I often say that my works comes about through an “island dream journal” method of making - where I intake a lot of research and then let images come to me like a dream. I plan out pieces to a certain degree, but found that my best work comes with little initial “meaning” and through the process of making I realize “ooooh... I was thinking about x, y, and z.” I let the research turn into lego blocks or collage images - letting my subconscious assemble them in strange ways that helps me make better sense of the subjects and my own expression.
Work in progress
Who are your biggest influences?
Honestly, my family and friends. As mushy as that sounds, when I was younger I genuinely believed that I shouldn’t make work about my family or upbringing because the “art world” wouldn’t care. Ignorantly I really thought I was meant for “bigger and better” things than my island home. However throughout my undergraduate experience I realized that it was my upbringing in Hawai’i that provided me with the unique creative outlook I have today - and that the hyper specific is paradoxically universal.
I don’t come from a family of “artists” but I do come from a family of lei weavers, quilt makers, chefs - people who see “creating” to be just another aspect of life. I think it is that honest and integral approach to making that I strive to keep alive in my work. As professionalism rears it’s head into my practice, whenever I have the opportunity to go home I am reminded why I loved making in the first place - thanks to my friends and family.
𝕭𝖚𝖒𝖇𝖆𝖎 - solo show installation - Kaiao Space Honolulu, HI
How will Innovate Grant contribute to your practice?
I’ve been thinking about making/ working on a few research projects for the past 2 years that will include more ceramic tests, alcohol fermentation, and family record keeping - all of which I can start to get the necessary equipment for, thanks to the grant!
(Left) 𝕭𝖚𝖒𝖇𝖆𝖎 - solo show installation - Kaiao Space Honolulu, HI
(Right) cane fire revisited graphite and acrylic on wood panel, ceramic, and laser cut wood mosquitos 11” by 14” by 1.5”
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
The most valuable thing to have is "enough”
What is the best advice you would give to other artists?
“Art” doesn’t have a monopoly on creativity - so why not explore all ways of making
Dakine
Stay up to date with Dane Hiʻipoi Nakama
Website bydanenakama.com
Instagram @bydanenakama