New Kaka’ako Mural showcases a 'vibrant community'

Street art and murals have been a part of the visual identity of Kaka’ako for over a decade.

The majority of the outdoor art came from the annual Pow! Wow! Festival, which brought artists from around the world to industrial turned residential mixed use neighborhood in Honolulu.

Private businesses have now begun viewing their walls as blank canvases. The office furniture company Interior Showplace recently commissioned a massive mural, stretching 36 feet tall and 30 feet wide, to add to the colors of Kaka’ako.

For a few weeks last month, New York-based artist Alice Mizrachi could be found listening to reggae music and painting the mural, titled “Our Vibrant Community.” HPR spoke to Mizrachi and Kim Quezada, the president of Interior Showplace, about this new piece of mural art.

The company is planning for a grand opening next month and a mural unveiling as part of its 50th anniversary.

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The progression of the mural, titled “Our Vibrant Community.”

Courtesy: Interior Showplace

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New York-based artist Alice Mizrachi in front of the new mural on the side of Interior Showplace’s new Kaka’ako location.

Courtesy: Interior Showplace

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An image of the finished mural by New York-based artist Alice Mizrachi.

Courtesy: Interior Showplace

This interview aired on The Conversation on Dec. 2, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.