“Flying Omaomao
Spirit of Tahiti
Bird of my homeland
Messenger of love from the night
Messenger of peace from the light.”

And so the summary of the genteel and warm Tahitian week we have just spent here for the ONO’U Festival. The words above from a local proverb that appear on the wall of Phat1 and Lady Diva’s newest painting inside the small museum here. The message has been peace, in words and deeds.

And yet we know that the War Machine is threatened once again as our overcompensating low-information leaders are ready to start a war somewhere, anywhere, out of hubris and spurious self esteem. Killing has become profitable, regardless of what rationale is offered. To them, profit is what matters most. Perhaps that is why it is most poignant for us to look for a messenger of peace from the light today.

Interestingly on an island full of natural beauty, we learn that many of the works that are made here on the street give special honors to the natural world, with fears for the future of the planet, disappearing species, the poisoning of the air, water, soil, food supply.

According to Sarah Roopinia, who began this festival four years ago here in Papeete, most of the 80 or so international and local Street Artists who are invited here have gravitated to the natural world in their work. It was also interesting to learn that one of the biggest names on the graffiti scene here is an environmental consultant; a friend of the fern and the fauna and the marine life. With no direction on themes for the museum show the artists chose their own. Are we listening?

We decided for Images of the Week to take you inside the museum show at ONO’U for Friday night’s opening, to show you the new installations on display because collectively they speak to matters that typically transcend street culture as we know it – and that is worth considering.

Here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Charles & Janine Williams (Phat1 & Lady Diva), Kalouf, Marko93, MrZL, Romain Lardanchet, and Soten.

Top image: Romain Lardanchet . Kalouf collaboration.  Museum installation. ONO’U Tahiti 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Romain Lardanchet . Kalouf collaboration.  Museum installation. ONO’U Tahiti 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

All week we watched sculptor Romain Lardanchet as he constructed this three dimensional fish while sitting on an overturned plastic bucket on the sidewalk outside the museum. Using sheets of wire mesh, a glue gun, aerosol can tops, and two clear plastic half-spheres, he created this surreal vision popping through the concrete, illuminated from within.

Phat1 and Lady Diva (Charles & Janine Williams).  Museum installation. ONO’U Tahiti 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A special installation by Māori graffiti artists Charles and Janine Williams uses two life stages of the OMAOMAO bird to speak to the changes that life takes. Charles tells us “the red link is the messenger of love and the bird is holding onto love in the middle of Tahiti”. Schooled by local orinthologists, the Williams painted from a gentlemen’s photographs of the bird. During the opening the an audio recording of the birds’ songs was playing in the room as well. To the left is a proverb provided by local wise people – words that tie the spiritual message of the work together beautifully.

Charles & Janine Williams.  Museum installation. ONO’U Tahiti 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Charles & Janine Williams.  Museum installation. ONO’U Tahiti 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Soten gifts the lobby.  Museum installation. ONO’U Tahiti 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Soten.  Museum installation. ONO’U Tahiti 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Marko93 & MrZL – a stunning aerosol/video mapping collaboration. Museum installation. ONO’U Tahiti 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo) The small video below shows the work in progress. Later on we’ll bring you the entire run of the video mapping.

Martha Cooper and Selina Miles with the iconic head dress attending the closing block party. ONO’U Tahiti 2017. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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