You Are Loved and Belong

kapa (Hawaiian barkcloth)

indigo dyed and natural undyed wauke (paper mulberry tree), natural inks and dyes (maohauhele-Hawaiian yellow hibiscus, walnut, spirulina, òlena (turmeric), madder, marigold, logwood, cutch, cochineal), vintage traditional Korean textile, thread, hau thread

27 x 19 inches (unframed)
2024

My first encounter with a rainbow eucalyptus tree in Hakalau, Hawai’i Island was the inspiration for this work. I’d never seen a tree with so many gorgeous vibrant colors in its trunk. Nature displays itself in all its glorious differences. I made this kapa as an expression of my belief that all people of different skin colors, abilities, and gender and sexual identities deserve love and belonging. The multicolored vintage Korean textile, saekdong, was traditionally used to make children’s garments. I chose to use this material to bind the top of the kapa and adorn it with settam sangchim, a Korean decorative top stitch of three consecutive stitches, to express my standing in solidarity with trans children who are beautiful and accepted as they are.