Your guide to Kakaako’s Pow! Wow! Hawaii 2018 street art

Where to go to see the stunning murals from this year's Honolulu street art festival.
Tracy Chan,
pow wow hawaii

During the third week of February, artists from all over the world hit the streets of Honolulu for the annual Pow! Wow! street art festival that leaves the Kakaako district a colorful walk-through gallery of urban art each year. 

Although the event was scaled down in 2018 it still brought some 50 artists to participate, including serious creative heavyweights such as Toki Doki brand artist and co-founder Simone Legno, renowned New York-based artist Daniel Arsham and some of Hawaii’s highest-caliber muralists. Be aware though, that at next year’s event, many of these murals may be painted over. Here’s where to find some of the best, most striking pieces from 2018.

Cooke Street and Pohukaina Street

The main road through Kakaako, Cooke Street is your entrance to a district bursting with diverse, vibrant murals around every corner. 

letscruise
Let’s cruise! This fun mural, with Hawaii husband-and-wife art team Roxanne and Matt Ortiz (@wooden_wave)’s fanciful
camper on the left and Gavin Murai (@reckonshop)’s tropical typography on the right, makes for a striking welcome to the
Kakaako district. 

 

garydrawsfish
Can you tell that drawing (and painting) fish is Gary Fisher (@garydrawsfish)’s specialty? Find this fun, finny piece at the
corner of Pohukaina Street and Cooke Street.
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

girl
An ethereal undersea maiden by Audrey Kawasaki (@audkawa)awaits across from the UFC Gym on Pohukaina Street.
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

Mother Waldron Park

Bordered by Cooke Street, Pohukaina Street, and Halekawila Street, Mother Waldron Park is a can’t-miss riot of colorful paintings. 

 

nalealum
Hawaii artist Nanea Lum (@nanealum) and her assistant created these lovely Hawaiian goddesses on the wall outside Fisher Hawaii.
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

nativeamerican
A striking piece by Native American artist Kaplan (@kapache1). 
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

whole9
Incredible work in progress by Japanese artist duo Whole9 (@whole9_w9).
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

Coral Street

In the heart of Kakaako’s old industrial district, vibrant modern art gives the buildings new life. 

amitabaya
Two tattoo artists teamed up for this mural: Hawaii artist Lucky Olelo (@luckyolelo) of Soul Signature Tattoo
and Amitabha Tattoo from Fukuoka, Japan (@horishow).
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

coral street
Just around the corner is this incredible row of murals. 
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

dakine
Our favorite of the Coral Street murals is this elegant Hawaiian maiden by Oahu-based designer, painter and tattoo artist
Jesse “Dak1ne” Velasquez (@dakine.dak1ne). 
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

7sketches
Further down toward Nimitz, we found Hawaii artist and sticker designer Derick Fabian, also known as 7 Sketches (@7sketches),
working on his first Pow! Wow! mural. 
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

7sketches
This vivid piece by Fabian seems to pop out of the wall.
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

kai
Look across the street and this playful monk seal by Hawaii artist and Pangeaseed Operations Manager Kaiili Kaulukukui
(@artworkofkai) peeks back at you. 
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

hanapepe
On the side of the SALT at our Kaakako complex is this fun, lighthearted piece by San Francisco artist Kelly Tunstall (@kellytunstall) that depicts characters harvesting salt from the native Hawaiian salt flats near Hanapepe, Kauai. 
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

Auahi Street and Lana Lane

The central hub of Kakaako’s trendy new up-and-coming urban condo community, Auahi Street is rapidly changing, yet retains its artistic vibe.

Lana Lane, off Auahi Street, is the location of Pow! Wow! Hawaii headquarters.

salt
From Coral Street, looking toward the new Salt at Our Kakaako complex on Auahi Street, you’ll see a mural by Pow! Wow! Hawaii
co-founder Kamea Hadar.
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

katch1
Hawaii’s infamous missile crisis of January 13, 2018, is memorialized in this cheeky mural on Coral Street and Auahi Street, by local artistand writer Katch1 (@katch1). Discover a new dimension if you wear 3D glasses while looking at this; itʻs actually painted
as a 3D mural.
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

mynameistran
This photorealistic piece overlaid with metallic gold flowers, is by Vietnam-born artist Tran Nguyen (@mynameistran).
Photo: Tracy Chan

 

tokidoki
Toki Doki brand artist and co-founder Simone Legno’s (@simonelegno)
too-cute piece at Lana Lane.
Photo: Tracy Chan

Like what you see here? There are plenty more murals to discover. Pow! Wow! Hawaii happens every spring in Honolulu’s Kakaako district on Oahu. For more information about the artists and the Pow! Wow! movement, visit powwowhawaii.com. 

Categories: Culture, Oʻahu