Striking wood sculptures by five artists are being featured in an exhibit at the East Hawaii Cultural Center in downtown Hilo.
The latest exhibition at EHCC brings together the work of five Hawaii-based artists, Henry Bianchini, Patrick Daniel Sarsfield, Daniel Sheinfeld Rodriguez, Lonny Tomono and the late Randy Takaki.
The unique artworks curated by Andrzej Kramarz create the show called “After Life,” which is a vibrant, almost spooky experience.
The wood comes from various sources and previous uses including, sugi, or Japanese cedar, mango, driftwood and plywood.
Daniel Sheinfeld Rodriguez and a few friends from Kailua-Kona visited the gallery last week to see Sheinfeld Rodriguez’s two large pieces.
Sheinfeld Rodriguez used charcoal coals to continuously burn plywood for 12 hours and reveal hidden layers beneath the surface, which resulted in a huge wooden piece that takes up a full wall of EHCC.
“I love the chance of surprise and the lack of control you have when working with wood. You don’t know what you’ll find,” Sheinfeld Rodriguez said. “I have been enjoying making something out of common construction pieces, like a 6-by-6 you would find anywhere, and making it come alive.”
Sheinfeld Rodriguez has been living on the Big Island for 20 years and decided to “jump in two feet first” and work as a full-time artist.
“I started in architecture, and am now doing my best to make a living as an artist, which is liberating and stressful, ” Sheinfeld Rodriguez said. “I’ve been working with wood specifically for eight years and am obsessed with it. I love truly understanding materials I work with, and it’s an honor to be featured in this gallery.”
Many of the pieces of art represent the cyclical nature of wood. While Sheinfeld Rodriguez’s pieces deconstruct wood, many artists decided to sculpt it.
“Non-utilitarian art, crafted from wood, is made for nothing tangible. Rather, it is a manifestation of the abstract potential of metaphysical vision,” according to the exhibition text. ‘After Life’ is an exhibition of the second life of trees, interpreted by sculptors, who, like our ancestors, return to the forest, to take a second look.”
For the first time since the pandemic, EHCC hosted an opening for the exhibit on Friday, June 3. Those interested can view the artwork until Wednesday, July 29.
The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free.