"a handful of sand thrown against a white wall after work, amidst a rising tide" 2020

Drew Kahuʻāina Broderick 
Born 1988, Mōkapu, Hawaiian Kingdom. 
Kānaka ʻŌiwi. Lives and works in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. 
Pronouns: he/him

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"a handful of sand thrown against a white wall after work, amidst a rising tide"  2020

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colour photographic series, framed 

 

Courtesy of the artist, Honolulu. 

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In a series of 10 photographs, the artist takes aim and unleashes a handful of sand at a wall as a response to the exploitation of Hawaiian resources. Each image is a snapshot of a day in the life of the artist, as the incoming tide laps at his feet. The wall is part of a multi-million dollar property, one of many resorts, houses or public developments that line Hawaiian coastlines, capitalising on its proximity to and views of the ocean. As a result of the persistent tides, the exposed concrete foundations of the building in the background of the photographs indicate the threat of rising sea levels to beachfront properties.

 

Despite the promotion of Hawai‘i’s white sandy beaches in tourism campaigns, the sand, particularly around the tourism hub of Waikīkī Beach, is imported from other parts of the archipelago and in some cases from across the Great Ocean. Due to intense erosion and pollution of nearby reefs, Waikīkī Beach requires significant human intervention to maintain the postcard view of Hawai‘i for the tourist market.

 

By throwing the imported sand against an object connected to the exploitation of ka ‘āina (lands that feed), ke kai (seas that connect) and Kānaka Maoli, Broderick expresses Aloha ‘Āina (love of the land) as rage against continuing colonial capitalist violence.