impertinence:

From my homeboy Jared in Hawaii.

jaredyamanuha:

Last year, I thought it would be a great idea to do video entry for “A Closer Look,” my online art column for FLUX Hawaii Magazine.  I’ve always wanted to work with my close friend and cinematographer, Mike Orbito, on a project, given that he has been, and continues to be, one of the greatest inspirations for my own work.  My concept was to do a “studio visit” to an artist’s workspace, in the same way that, say, a collector or dealer or curator would, and get a closer look at what an artist was working on.  Maika’i Tubbs, one of my favorite Honolulu artists, was at the top of my list, and, thankfully, he kindly agreed to the video, and invited me and Orbito into his studio space on a Sunday afternoon.

Simply stated, it was an amazing experience to see Maika’i at work, to see the physicality of it all, to watch him responding to different materials in unique ways.  It all seemed organic, the result of long nights spent playing and experimenting with things to see what, exactly, could be created out of these ostensibly simple objects.  He did not respond to plastic spoons in the same way that he responded to Styrofoam containers or Wal-Mart plastic bags. 

I can’t, to be honest, take any credit for this video, other than the fact that I was present, in Maika’i’s studio, asking questions.  Thanks again to Maika’i for letting us take a closer look at his creative process, and to Mike Orbito for creating an equally beautiful video that, in my opinion, really captures who Maika’i is and why he does what he does.

www.fluxhawaii.com/archives/a-closer-look-studio-visit-with-maikai-tubbs

www.maikaitubbs.com

www.vimeo.com/mikeorbito