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Artist won’t bust
the sculpture’s spirit

A woman's breasts must be
shown if Campbell High
installs the statue

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By Janine Tully
Star-Bulletin

If Campbell High School installs the sculpture of the mother of the mythical baby shark, Ka'ahupahau, her breasts will have to be shown.

After wrestling with the decision for weeks, the artist, Kazu Fukuda, decided not to modify the statue commissioned by the school two years ago. "It was the only right decision," said Fukuda. "I tried covering the breasts, but it just didn't work. It took away the spirit of the piece. The breasts are symbols of motherhood, nurturing and a past culture."

School officials are still debating what to do with the statue. They said want to give parents, teachers, students and the community a chance to express their views.

"People would like to see more participatory involvement of the various school groups," principal Gail Awakuni said. "We don't make the decision. The advisory committee has already approved it. All we're asking is more input."

The 7-foot clay model depicts a bare-breasted Hawaiian woman with a pa'u wrapped around her waist and legs apart. The figure is slightly bent over a baby, which is half human and half shark. The mythical baby, who turned into a shark, was named Ka'ahupahau, the aumakua (protector) of the people of Ewa.

Some school officials, teachers and parents considered a bare-breasted statue inappropriate for a high school and asked that it be covered.

"Many of the staff, parents and students were under the impression initially that the statue would be covered," said Awakuni. "But I understand that it was a work in progress and that it evolved."

The school's art advisory committee approved the design, as did the State Foundation of Culture and the Arts, which granted $50,000 for the project. Campbell Foundation donated $10,000 to cover the casting in bronze.

The fact that the committee had approved his work influenced his decision, Kazu said. "It was not up to me to arbitrarily change that," he said.

The art advisory committee -- composed of teachers, students, parents, school officials and state foundation members -- met with Fukuda recently at his home. Also present were Awakuni and Leeward Deputy Superintendent Bruce Naguwa.

"I thought I was going to attend a funeral, but I was glad to hear that the integrity of the piece has been retained," said Jo Giubilato, a photography teacher who was against modifying the artwork.

Fukuda told the group that he had tried several times to come up with a model that would satisfy him but that nothing worked.

"I'd cover the piece then take the draping off," he said.

After the committee accepted his decision, it felt as if "a big weight had been lifted from him."

"Now the weight rests on the DOE," he said.

Fukuda and Giubilato have said that every effort was made to follow procedures, and that people had plenty of time to voice opinions.

Photographs of the sculpture were displayed at school, placed in teachers' boxes and appeared on the school's Web site and in its yearbook, Giubilato said. Also, the advisory committee met regularly to discuss the project.

"People were aware," Kazu said. "Everyone had an opportunity to voice their opinions. This is not something I just threw at them."