World War II veterans

4/15/20: Historic Hawai‘i Foundation is honored to present a Programmatic Award to the Mural Wall at the Nisei Veterans Memorial Center located in Kahului on the island of Maui.  Local artist Kirk Kurokawa created this larger-than-life mural on a bare concrete wall using ordinary house paint. The mural is being recognized as an educational resource reminding the public of a significant event in Hawai‘i’s history and how it impacted the Maui community. It is a reminder of what these men stood for and the sacrifices that is a made as a result of war. “The Nisei Memorial is accessible to the general public, both physically and in terms of its presentation and content,” remarked Adriane Truluck, a member of the Selection Committee after visiting the site. “Wordlessly and with striking imagery, it conveys an empathetic portrayal of the Nisei veterans, connecting today’s audience, be it descendants, residents, or visitors, to the veterans and their experience.” In his nomination of the project, Maui architect Jim Niess pointed out that, “Because these images were originally taken prior to (the use of) color photography, the artist reproduced them as the black and white originals which adds a subtle touch to its powerful imagery.”  Applying this approach, the artist was able to give the mural a true sense of integrity and connection to the past. Historic preservation has so many different aspects and the mural illustrates how important it is to recognize and celebrate all forms of interpretation.   “Art is absolutely important because it is universal,” states Kurokawa.  “Art can reach and speak to everyone no matter who they are and where they may come from. Particularly ‘public art’ has great potential to bring a community together and to [...]