Hoku-kau-‘opae Sculpture

Hoku-kau-‘opera (Evening Star) Feathers: Pheasant, Blue and Gold Macaw, Red Congo African Grey, Blue-Throate Macaw The purpose of the project is to draw the viewer closer to Nature the Universal Village that we all share in. All of the feathers were secured via bird sanctuaries and aviaries and are naturally molted. ‘Thunder in the Pines’ (TIP) Project originated in Kyoto, Japan; where some of the feathers were procured via a bird sanctuary. TIP is a seven part series, with the first village appearing in Rosemary Beach. The other six villages will appear in Montauk, Geneva, London, Paris, Monaco and lastly Kyoto. The feathers represent a floral mushroom village that appears after a thunderstorm. Novelist Tanizaki Junichiro once defined the Japanese aesthetic as one that privileges darkness and finds beauty “not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against the other creates.” Tanizaki’s words are suggestive of the natural habitat of mushrooms. In Japanese, the general word for mushroom, kinoko, means “child of the tree.” Mushrooms can also derive their names from characters in folklore, animals, colors, modes of life, or even utensils they may resemble. Although names certainly provide insight into the emphases of a given culture, the mushrooms themselves are universal and elude fixed boundaries. And, this is the mystery of Mushrooms as they seemingly appear overnight, growing or expanding rapidly out of nowhere. This phenomenon is the source of several common expressions including "mushrooming" (expanding rapidly in size or scope) and "to pop up like a mushroom" (to appear unexpectedly and quickly). Mushrooms do not belong to conventional society and thus symbolizes everything which is chaotic, dangerous and unexpected, everything which escapes human reason and which can only be attributed to the unforeseeable... In many ways, Love transcends rationale; it is risky, venturesome and upside-down affair that defies odds. Mushrooms are a tribe viewed, developmentally or historically, as a social group existing before the development of, or outside, states. A tribe is a group of distinct people, dependent on their land for their livelihood, who are largely self-sufficient, and not integrated into the national society. I always associate flight with feathers. Ancient Egyptians believed the heart was the center of the soul's memory, emotion and thoughts. As immortal beings, they knew they would need a light heart to move on to the next level of spiritual awareness. According to 'The Book of the Dead,' upon death, the heart was weighed on the scales of justice against the feather of Ma'at. They believed that if the heart was heavier than the feather it would be eaten immediately by Ammut the Devourer, a crocodie-lion. In order to ensure a light heart, Ancient Egyptians often visualize their heart on a scale with the feather always in balance. Balance, is the key to flight, as you can't take flight without thrust or the expelling of accelerated mass in one direction causes a force of equal magnitude in the opposite direction. It's this equal balance that gives us wings. I believe our tribes hearts ascends when we embrace nature… only then will you become "light as a feather". Feathers were used for the work as a stronger embodiment of nature and to remind us of the striking beauty it holds. All of the feathers for each piece have meaning as well feathers have a healing an alpha nature. In many cultures of the world, bird feather have profound meaning and significance in the spiritual life of people. Each feather has a different meaning, and each feather has within it the energies of the bird it comes from. Commonly used feathers in healing, for instance: Turkey, they are regarded as having cleansing and healing properties. I blend different energy techniques with the feathers. Feathers are a natural conductor for energy. They add a higher vibration to the environment around you. Lastly keep in mind many of the feathers are from male birds. They use their ornate, diverse, and colourful feathers to attract partner and to mark territory. Thus feathers radiate Alpha in the best possible way, via beauty. For potential buyers: please keep in mind feathers are a living thing (they still radiate energy). Feathers should be cared for every other month by running a clothes steamer (the type you use to freshen a shirt/dress) over them, you'll witness them retake their form. Each piece is a member of a tribe, and though they may go their separate ways in joining your tribe, you are now connected with a much larger tribe… you are a member of the tribe. Lastly, remember you are a feather of the Phoenix… You shine, and you hold eternity within yourself.