What happens when we consider what exists beyond our physical realm? What do we see? What do we feel? What do we encounter? 

‍

In their collaborative exhibition ‘Modern Artefacts’, brothers Connor Kawaii and Ryan Hawaii invite us into their uncovered temple, bringing their ideas around the spiritual world to life. Through the use of symbolism, the artists have created a visual language to signify complex ideas around the spiritual and the metaphysical. Fusing their individual practices together,  the multidisciplinary exhibition includes Connor’s collages, and Ryan’s drawings amongst other works and explorations. 

‍

A recurring motif that has been ever present in both their practices is the rejection of the status quo and the desire to shed light into the subcultures they exist within. This rebellion is reflected in the characters that feature within the collages that Connor intricately layers; a skill he picked up when he had broken his wrist and was forced to find alternative outlets. He seeks to breathe new life into images that would otherwise go unseen or forgotten. Influenced heavily by punk culture, over the last decade Ryan has combined drawing and textile work which often features his famous ‘eyeman’, his practice serving as a vehicle to articulate his experiences. 

‍

Their Cuban-Jamaican heritage underpins the embodiment of this uncovered temple by borrowing from spatial design elements that exist within their culture.

‍

Together the artists discuss their approaches and the wider themes of their work in a conversation with Akinola Davies.

‍