Kainoa Gruspe

Kainoa Gruspe's practice comes from painting but has been branching out to include different modes of making, including woodworking, sewing, weaving, and hat making. What he is looking for in his work is a sense of real life, and an exploration of how that has been understood. He is often looking at scientific, religious and philosophical efforts to describe and understand reality, as well as traditional craft practices and their interaction/ friction with current capitalist/imperial systems. Gruspe is from Mānoa, O‘ahu. He received a BFA from the University of Hawai‘i in 2017 and an MFA from the Slade School of Fine Art in 2022. He has exhibited and participated in residencies internationally, including the Fresh Winds Biennial (Suðernesjabær, Iceland), Cyprus College of Art (Paphos, Cyprus), Fruga Art Trail (Rab, Croatia) and the Wireworks Project (Belper, England). Gruspe is a 2024 recipient of the inaugural Ho‘ākea Source grant.