HONOLULU (KHON2) — “ʻUmeke Lāʻau — Culture Medicine,” an art piece made this year by Native Hawaiian artist Meleanna Aluli Meyer, will move to Kapolei Hale following its four-month residency at Honolulu Hale.
The piece is a 22-foot sculpture was presented as a part of the Hawaiʻi Triennial 2025 and eventually became a gathering space which hosted educational institutions, Tibetan monks and many more.
The Mayorʻs Office of Culture and the Arts said the relocation of the sculpture will make the art piece more accessible to communities on the west side of the island.
“By relocating this installation to Kapolei Hale, we’re ensuring that more of our community members have the opportunity to experience its healing presence,” Mayor Rick Blangiardi said. “We are beyond grateful to Meleanna and her team for sharing their vision and their incredible work with out communities.”
“ʻUmeke Lāʻau — Culture Medicine,” saw a closing event on the night of June 6 at Honolulu Hale, with the sculpture engulfed in an immersive array of sound, light, moving image and mele.
There will be an opening event at Kapolei Hale on June 12 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., which will officially unveil the art piece at its new home.
Groups are invited to use the space for prayer, meditation and productive conversations. The sculpture is accompanied with audio of the names of tens of thousands of Hawaiians who protested the illegal annexation of the islands by signing the Kūʻē Petitions in 1897.