About

Brief

Jack Soren is a wave-surfing, graffiti-spraying, mural-painting, Native Hawaiian artist, born, raised, and currently residing on the North Shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. As a child, Jack spent most of his time at the beach, his family possessing a deep-rooted connection to the ocean, and surfing in particular. As a teenager, he spent most of his time spray painting ditches, where he fell in love with artistry and the painted figure. Now, as an adult, Jack utilizes the lessons, techniques, and nuances of these two passions to create diverse, multifaceted works of art. 

Working primarily with paint and pigment on canvas, Jack has produced several solo exhibitions, as well as contributed works to numerous group and collective shows since 2016. Having developed an extremely applicable style, Jack’s work has also been commissioned for major branding and marketing campaigns by organizations like the Vans Triple Crown, and companies like Hawaiian Airlines.

On a larger scale, Jack has become a prolific mural artist, having been commissioned to produce massive work for clients like The International Market Place and Bloomingdales. The grand scale and familiarity of painting on walls is what makes mural art the preferred application of Jack’s work. In pursuit of this preference - most notably, through institutions like Pow! Wow! and SprayseeLA - Jack has been a featured artist in mural festivals across the globe.

Written by Naz Kawakami

HAWAIIAN

For Jack, being a Hawaiian artist producing in Hawaii is an incredibly complex position to be in, with many points to be considered, all of which appear in his painting. There is responsibility, obligation, passion, and fulfilment in applying his lineage to the work that he creates. In reworking idyllic, postcard depictions of “vintage” Hawaii, he attempts - in some small part - to reclaim old Hawaii’s colonized imagery and make it his own, bringing it back into Hawaiian hands, denying the foreign commercialization of those postcard images, while retaining those images’ depiction of Hawaii’s beauty and culture with recognizable figures and a strong, smooth color palette.  

Beyond the reclamation of Hawaiian imagery here at home, Jack also believes in sharing pieces of his culture with outside audiences. At a mural festival in Washington D.C in 2021, Jack inscribed over his piece, “Ka lā hiki ola” - a phrase about optimism, hope, and looking toward the new day. “I believe that the world could benefit greatly from the teachings of Native Hawaiian culture. Love, respect, spirituality, community, humility, perseverance, patience, and righteousness - these values are what the world needs more of.” 

Written by Naz Kawakami

Surf

The North Shore of Oahu is the Mecca of Surfing, the “7 mile miracle” is home to some of the best waves on the planet. As it is a Hawaiian tradition and past time, it is also a big part of Jack’s family and history. Surfing has always been a priority since he can remember. The ocean has been a very spiritual place for Jack. His fathers last few hours on earth were spent surfing with Jack and his sister at one of their family’s favorite surf spots. The ocean is a place of peace and a source of life where he escapes the world to connect with the land and his family.