At first glance, artists/couple Lehuauakea and Ian Kualiʻi’s sharp-looking, patterned multimedia works appear to be derived from prints. But Kualiʻi’s patterns are hand-painted, and he hopes this challenges viewers to rethink expectations.

Lehuauakea and Kualiʻi (Kānaka Maoli) are slated to debut their new pieces this week at downtown gallery Hecho a Mano. With work stemming from Native Hawaiian practices, Wai Ulana (Woven Waters) features art forms like kapa—traditional Native Hawaiian tree bark cloth—and paper cut by hand to form patterns that are both abstract and realistic.

“It refers to Ian and I coming together, but also our communities coming together,” Lehuauakea says, “how different forms of cultural resurgence come together and how you can’t have one without the other.”