A collaborative multimedia art project has become a launching pad for promoting Hawaii Island as a destination to inspire artists, not just as a place to take a vacation. In 2018, Big Island artist Kristie Fujiyama Kosmides was commissioned to create large-scale murals for the Hilo International Airport that were meant to “represent the island.” It wasn’t until 2020 that she finally found a way to express the notion through her paintings.
“This was one of the first times I truly felt overwhelmed by a project, because I couldn’t figure out how to express something that means so much to me and so many people,” Kosmides said. “I knew I wanted to collaborate with different artists, but I wasn’t sure what that would look like until I talked with Tracey about the project.” Local filmmaker Tracey Niimi met Kosmides in 2020, and she eventually told him about the commission and her dilemma.
To her surprise, Niimi connected her with his good friend and world-renowned ukulele player, Jake Shimabukuro. The three artists quickly connected and formed their artist group they call Abstract Collab. The trio began working together to create a multimedia art project, which culminated into a song written and played by Shimabukuro that has been paired with a music video directed and filmed by Niimi.
The creative process ultimately gave Kosmides the inspiration she needed for the five airport murals. Created during the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, this collaboration was guide.