Artist: Matthew and Roxanne Ortiz, Wooden Wave
The Wooden Wave mural on the corner of Auahi and Keawe Streets at SALT at Our Kaka‘ako welcomes visitors while paying homage to the Kaka‘ako district’s rich history.
Husband and wife art duo, Kamehameha Schools alumnus Matt Ortiz and Roxy Ortiz, who collaborate under the name Wooden Wave, have incorporated into this mural iconography that symbolizes the cultural and historical changes that have shaped the Kaka‘ako region.
Geographically, Kaka‘ako bridges the space between the mountains (mauka) and the seaside (makai). In ancient times, Kaka‘ako was known for its salt (pa‘akai) beds and fish ponds, respectively represented by the sweeping band of orange crystals in the lower portion of the mural and the blue fish shapes streaming upward.
In the 1800s, Kaka‘ako’s industrial roots began with the establishment of the Honolulu Iron Works metal foundry and machine shop. In the mural, the images of gears within the wave symbolize Kaka‘ako’s industrial past. Today, the many businesses, restaurants and shops that call Our Kaka‘ako home honor this entrepreneurial spirit.