Honoring Tradition, Expanding Possibilities--Hawaiian Artist Receives Emerging Native Arts Grant

Lehuauakea Expands the Boundaries of Kapa, Honoring Ancestral Craft with Contemporary Expression

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Walker Youngbird Foundation is pleased to announce that Lehuauakea, a Native Hawaiian artist and kapa practitioner, has been awarded its latest grant recognizing early-career Indigenous artists. Lehuauakea is reimagining kapa (Hawaiian barkcloth) through innovative techniques that expand its artistic possibilities while ensuring the survival of this ancestral practice for future generations.

The $15,000 grant, awarded twice annually, will support their preparation for a 2026 solo exhibition in New York City. The show will feature large-scale mixed-media kapa textiles, text-based paintings, and wearable barkcloth garments that push the boundaries of this traditional art form.

"Kapa-making is one of the most significant traditional Hawaiian art forms, but it could be at risk of being lost if more young practitioners don't perpetuate it," said Lehuauakea. "By incorporating hand-embroidery, contemporary installation, and mixed-media garment-making, I hope to sustain and evolve the practice in ways that resonate with younger generations and extend its relevance beyond Hawaiʻi."

A graduate of the Pacific Northwest College of Art, Lehuauakea is among the few full-time kapa practitioners under the age of 30. Their work remains deeply tied to tradition—harvesting wauke (paper mulberry) bark, hand-carving ʻohe kāpala (bamboo stamps), and using earth pigments gathered from culturally significant sites. At the same time, they expand kapa's possibilities, blending Indigenous storytelling with contemporary themes.

"Lehuauakea's work is a compelling example of how Native artists are not only preserving cultural traditions but actively evolving them," said Reid Walker, founder of the Walker Youngbird Foundation."Their ability to interweave ancestral craft with themes of environmental stewardship, queer Indigenous identity, and the resilience of Hawaiian culture underscores the significance of their practice today."

Expanding Recognition for Native Hawaiian Artists

Lehuauakea's selection highlights the increasing national recognition of Native Hawaiian artists within Indigenous arts funding. While Native Hawaiians are Indigenous to the United States, they are not included in the Bureau of Indian Affairs' list of federally recognized tribes, which primarily acknowledges American Indian tribes in the contiguous U.S. and Alaska Native Villages. This grant reflects an effort to expand opportunities for Native Hawaiian artists beyond regional frameworks and recognize their contributions on a national stage. Lehuauakea's upcoming solo exhibition in New York is expected to bring kapa into new conversations about contemporary Indigenous art, further demonstrating that Native Hawaiian artistic traditions are dynamic, evolving, and globally relevant.

About the Walker Youngbird Foundation
The Walker Youngbird Foundation supports early-career Native artists who are reshaping contemporary art while honoring Indigenous traditions. Through direct funding, mentorship, and visibility, the foundation ensures that Indigenous artists have the support they need to innovate and define the future of Native art.

For more information:
www.walkeryoungbird.org
[email protected]
instagram.com/walkeryoungbird

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SOURCE Walker Youngbird Foundation