In "Spectrum," a frame surrounds part of a series of photographs that merge artist Richard Kolopeaua with his Tongan father.
"Frames represent what people see as Polynesian," said Kolopeaua, born and raised in Orem. "I don't always fit inside the frame."
He is one of three artists of Polynesian descent opening an exhibit in Salt Lake today that explores trying to find exactly where to fit in.
"For me, it's fantastic," he said. "It's what made me different, unique."
The exhibit, "Niu World: Being Polynesian in America," opened Friday at VSA Arts of Utah and will be on display through March 9.
The use of the word "Niu," which means "coconut," is symbolic, the artists say.
"The symbolism behind the coconut is important to us," said Kolopeaua. "It can float in the ocean and take root hundreds of miles from where it began."
Similarly Polynesians, from many cultures, have "taken root here in the United States." Kolopeaua of New York and artists Lilo Tauvao of California and Will Varner of New York use paintings and sculpture to explore Polynesian-American culture and stereotypes as they relate to their own lives.
"We were immediately attracted to the message behind the art," said Ruth Lubbers, executive director of VSA. "It treats the subject with dignity; it has some humor. It has some real serious bite."
Tauvao points to "The Struggle," a painting of a girl with a robotic arm in an urban environment. Her human arm holds a Polynesian war club. "She has strong roots, but she starts to change," he said.
Varner remembers growing up with the image that "Polynesians are good athletes, entertainers," or they join gangs.
"Most people are very polite and open-minded," he said. "But there's still misperception and frankly, bigotry."
A painting that highlights those stereotypes, "The Sacrifice," depicts a man with outstretched arms in front of a coconut palm, holding a football in one hand and a gun in the other.
An eel swims below him, symbolic of the legend of how the coconut came to be.
In one version, the eel fell in love with a beautiful girl and pursued her but was put to death, Varner said. The eel told the girl to bury his head. She did and the first coconut tree grew from the site.
"They say you can still see the eel's face" in the coconut, he said. "It's a really potent symbol for Polynesians."
E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com