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Hefrani Barnes
Of both English and Rotuman heritage, Hefrani, whose name translates to “the Morningstar”- is a young self-taught visual, conceptual artist and illustrator. She is currently a student at International Secondary School in Suva. As passionate as she is creative, Hefrani has been involved in artistic activism from a young age. Her unique hand in painting and virtual art is inspired by artists such as Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso- all of which have influenced her contemporary style. Hefrani also draws much inspiration from the infamous street artist Banksy-whose elaborate criticisms of societal injustices through artistic “vandalism” has moved Hefrani to construct various murals that could be seen around Suva. She lists creating the illustrations for the children’s book Elimondik by Brooke Takala as one of her most significant and meaningful works. She says she is inspired by the natural world, in particular the ocean and her creatures, its role in connecting the people and its effect on Pacific culture. Hefrani also dabbles in poetry and creative writing and very recently- animation. She seeks to build a future for herself using her talents for the arts. |
EACH STRAND OF HAIR(acrylic on canvas (2022))
This painting draws its inspiration from a story about how love can save the world.
The story goes that in the old days in the land now known as Guam, when the people lost their connection to their ways, the rains would not come and the people grew wild with hunger, a giant fish determined to destroy the island began to eat the island, one giant bite after another. The women offered their help but the men rejected the women’s offer. Day after day the men tried to stop it but couldn’t. One night, the answer came to the maga’haga elder and leader of the women. The women would weave a giant net from their long black hair. One by one they came, weaving and chanting through the night, imbued with deep spiritual belief to make the net unbreakable. By the morning they set the net trap that caught the monster fish but the women couldn’t haul the monster fish in so they asked the men for their help. Together they helped them haul the monster fish. The painting is a rendering of the power of ordinary people and in particular women in resisting extraordinary powers in this case the military industrial complex depicted by the giant metallic octopus. The military has long been studying biomimicry of marine animals to weaponize natures powers for naval defense purposes. The octopus is one such creature the military has been studying for its translucent properties to hide from the enemy.
RIMPAC, is one such industrial complex on the ocean. It’s sheer scale, size, and power seem an impossible powerful structure to overturn. Yet stories like these offer us lessons. Each strand of hair on its own is not strong enough to catch the monster yet woven together imbued with chants and prayers of love and hope they can transform a single strand of hair into a protective net. The women knew they couldn’t do this alone so asked the men to help them. Together they demonstrate people’s abilities to overturn the most powerful monsters of this world.
The story goes that in the old days in the land now known as Guam, when the people lost their connection to their ways, the rains would not come and the people grew wild with hunger, a giant fish determined to destroy the island began to eat the island, one giant bite after another. The women offered their help but the men rejected the women’s offer. Day after day the men tried to stop it but couldn’t. One night, the answer came to the maga’haga elder and leader of the women. The women would weave a giant net from their long black hair. One by one they came, weaving and chanting through the night, imbued with deep spiritual belief to make the net unbreakable. By the morning they set the net trap that caught the monster fish but the women couldn’t haul the monster fish in so they asked the men for their help. Together they helped them haul the monster fish. The painting is a rendering of the power of ordinary people and in particular women in resisting extraordinary powers in this case the military industrial complex depicted by the giant metallic octopus. The military has long been studying biomimicry of marine animals to weaponize natures powers for naval defense purposes. The octopus is one such creature the military has been studying for its translucent properties to hide from the enemy.
RIMPAC, is one such industrial complex on the ocean. It’s sheer scale, size, and power seem an impossible powerful structure to overturn. Yet stories like these offer us lessons. Each strand of hair on its own is not strong enough to catch the monster yet woven together imbued with chants and prayers of love and hope they can transform a single strand of hair into a protective net. The women knew they couldn’t do this alone so asked the men to help them. Together they demonstrate people’s abilities to overturn the most powerful monsters of this world.