Library Unveils ‘The Plants of Molokai Over Time’ Mural

By Léo Azambuja

A gyotaku artist who was part of the Molokai Arts Center’ Artist in Residence program last April returned to the island this month to unveil a mural that wasn’t in his plans when he first came to Molokai.

“We came to this artist residency here on Molokai thinking about one thing, and it turned into something else in the middle of it. This mural is really the result of what happened to us during this process of mutual flourishing with the community,” Duncan Berry said of the time he and his wife, Melany, spent on Molokai. 

The mural, “The Plants of Molokai Over Time,” is now on permanent exhibit at Molokai Public Library, where Berry had an informal talk Oct. 15 to about two dozen people over his artwork —  direct ink impressions from the “bodies of creatures of the land, sea and air as an active form of reverence.”

Originally, Berry said, he had come to Molokai last April to participate in several events. He did four printing sessions at Molokai Arts Center, a nine-hour “print-palooza” with the Molokai Land Trust team, did prints with the community at the MAC Saturday Market, led an Art Bar creative adventure at Hotel Molokai, and participated in the 2025 Earth Day celebration.

“Our time on Molokai during our artist residency was rich,” Berry said.

As a result, he thinks “there are a lot of prints in homes around Molokai.” But in a conversation with MAC Executive Director Alice Kaahanui, Berry said he would like to leave something behind that would be more permanent than just individual pieces of art. He floated the idea of putting an art piece in a public space, and Molokai Library branch manager Mia Langer Ritte said she could put it there. 

“It sounded so easy, it just rolled off the tongue. And probably 180 hours later, here it is,” Berry said. 

The mural shows plants and creatures of Molokai from three different eras; before the island was inhabited by humans, after Polynesian voyagers arrived here, and the period following Capt. Cook’s arrival in the Hawaiian Islands.

“We wanted to honor each of the stages,” Berry said, adding the first stage shows only Native Hawaiian creatures and plants, the second has “canoe plants” brought by Polynesians, and the third stage displays exotic plants brought to Molokai after contact with Western civilizations.

The gyotaku printing is a Japanese technique created in the mid-1800s, when ink was applied to a fish and then pressed onto a sheet of paper. 

Berry follows a very similar process, making direct impressions of plants and creatures, and then going over with pen and ink to finish the artwork. He said he likes to think of the process as “creating a deeper connection and mindful relationship with the living planet.”

Berry said he and his wife had the “illusion” they were coming to Molokai to teach the art of printing, but what really happened was that they were taught by all those who collaborated with them to print, search for plants and share their knowledge.

“Rather than being artist residents teaching, we were the ones being taught. That was very emotional for Melany and I, and it’s something we’re going to carry with us for the rest of our lives,” he said.

The mural in sepia tones is on display on the makai trapezoid panel above the circulation desk at the Molokai Public Library.