$600,000 Requested to Move 40-Year-Old Stadium Sculpture

State officials are asking lawmakers to approve approximately $600,000 to relocate a 20-foot copper and bronze sculpture from Aloha Stadium. The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) submitted the request after determining that current funding sources are insufficient to cover the cost of dismantling, transporting, storing, and conserving the artwork. The sculpture must be moved to make way for a planned road and intersection in the new Aloha Stadium Entertainment District.

The piece, titled 'Volcano,' was created by Satoru Abe in 1981. Abe constructed the work in 38 separate pieces and transported it from his home in Mākaha to the stadium, where it was set on a concrete base. It has stood in front of the box office for more than four decades. The SFCA previously used a special fund to manage such relocations, but a 2025 amendment to the law now restricts that money to purchasing and commissioning art, excluding maintenance and relocation costs.

Karen Ewald, the executive director of the SFCA, stated that the agency must now rely on general fund appropriations for these needs. The SFCA board tasked Ewald with seeking either a general fund appropriation or a legislative amendment that would restore access to the Works of Art Special Fund. This fund was established in 1967 under Hawai‘i’s percent-for-art law, which directs 1% of state construction funds to the arts.

Justin Lui, vice president at Stanford Carr Development, explained that the sculpture’s current location interferes with the design of the new mixed-use community. The developers prefer to keep the artwork in place, but the new infrastructure includes a four-way intersection that would make the sculpture a safety hazard if left in its original spot. The new stadium is planned to seat 31,000 people and include 28 luxury boxes.

Donovan Goto, grandson of the late artist Satoru Abe, recalled playing near the sculpture as a child. Abe died last year at age 98. Goto noted that his grandfather designed the piece to mirror the shape of the stadium, which he described as a flipped-over volcano. Goto hopes the sculpture will return to the new complex in an open area that provides adequate breathing space.

Michael Yadao, stadium manager at Aloha Stadium Authority, indicated that the sculpture does not need to move until the late 2028 or early 2029 construction phase. However, officials must begin planning the relocation now to ensure the infrastructure is built correctly. The developers are working with Ewald to determine where the sculpture will be stored during the construction period.

The SFCA board has directed Ewald to present the funding options to the legislature. The decision will determine whether the agency uses general fund money or if lawmakers modify the existing law to allow the special fund to cover relocation expenses for public art.