Recently, we wrote about the Hawaiian, New York-based artist, Hula whose pro-surfing skills have led him to become a muralist who paints while sitting on his board. Although, even more recently, Hula (his full name is Sean Yoro) completed a chilling series, A’o ‘Ana or “The Warning” which consisted of large, hyperreal murals on an untapped medium, glaciers. Or, to be even more specific, melting glaciers. The exact location of these murals has been kept secret by the artist, however based off the images taken from his experience while creating the paintings, it looked beautifully frigid. All we do know are these few details, all direct quotes from a CNN interview with the artist:
“It took us a whole day of searching until the right one came along and I was able to set up to paint. The currents didn’t help either, as the quicker my iceberg moved, the more it melted.”
On the purpose of painting on a glacier:
“To ignite a sense of urgency towards climate change in those who stumble upon these murals.”
“The portrait represents the millions of people in need of our help who are already being affected from the rising sea levels of climate change.”
“I do think we are headed in the right direction with the actions we are taking to fight global warming , but we are late in responding and we need to quicken the pace of action if we want to keep this world safe for our future generations.”
On how long will they last:
“Just in the short week I was there, the icebergs all around me were constantly cracking and flipping.”
“I would have given it a week or two, maximum.”
On how he managed to paint on a floating glacier:
“I use a lot of ropes and anchors to keep me in place and steady, and the board itself is pretty stable when it’s locked in. I usually choose places with minimal waves and tide changes too, so it feels just like any other platform. Having a strong surfing background probably hasn’t hurt either!”
“I had been experimenting with different techniques to be able to paint on ice and the best way was to have an acrylic ground. Thus, I mounted these very thin sheets of acrylic by drilling screws into the ice.”
“I use it in a traditional old masters’ technique, mixing both loose brushwork with very tight strokes of sharp lines. I’m always trying to make the paint have a juicier texture to really help the portrait come alive.”
On the identity of the beautiful woman depicted:
“She’s a friend from New York, although she prefers to remain anonymous.”
On what’s in store for the future:
“Like most things in my life, I don’t try to plan too much into the future. I only plan to stay true to my passion and see where it takes me. Currently in the works are more water murals and even hopping onto land for some figures who blend in with their environments.”
Check out Hula’s Instagram or website for additional images and information on his environmentally conscious art works.
All images courtesy of the artist.
Like this article? Check out Hula’s previous work or other artists that use their creativity to bring attention to global issues.
