Hi, I am Vaimoana (you can call me Moana or Mo Money),
I am a painter and poet.

"I know what I am asking is impossible. But in our time, as in every time, the impossible is the least that one can demand." --James Baldwin

"I pray to the birds because they remind me of what I love rather than what I fear. And at the end of my prayers, they teach me how to listen."
― Terry Tempest Williams, "Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place."

My name is
Vaimoana Oufi Khalil

My name is
Vaimoana Litia Makakaufaki Niumeitolu

“She speaks” by Vaimoana Oufi Khalil
Manassas, Virginia. 2012

My murals

San Francisco, California. 2024

Brooklyn, New York. 2023

Brooklyn, New York. 2023.

Creating and painting murals with communities around the world is my life’s work and deepest purpose. Each mural is a powerful reflection of the dreams, values, and leadership within the community it serves. Through vibrant art, we have transformed walls into beautiful, inspiring spaces that tell the stories of the people who live there. My murals invite us to dream and realize a shared vision of love, identity, and belonging. It’s a joy and an honor to collaborate with communities to bring their voices to life and create art that uplifts and celebrates the beauty and strength of community stories.

I have painted 38 murals all over the world…
…and I look forward to painting 40 more with you…

I’ve had the incredible privilege of traveling the world to paint 38 murals! I have painted murals for the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City, Utah. My work has taken me to incredible communities in Nairobi, Kenya; Brooklyn, The Bronx, El Barrio/East Harlem and Queens in New York City; 6 murals in the city of Bell in Los Angeles County, California; Cape town, South Africa and beyond.

My favorite place to paint in the world is Palestine. It is also the place where most of my murals are located. I have painted 11 community murals all over Palestine.

Each one of my murals reflect the unique spirit and stories of the people and places that have inspired me along the way. Through the process of creating and painting community murals all over the world, I have experienced time and time again the openness, vulnerability and generosity of the human spirit. I am deeply honored and grateful to witness and be connected to humans in this way in my lifetime.

Nairobi, Kenya. 2018

Brooklyn, New York. 2015

Brooklyn, New York. 2015

I have not had a solo exhibition yet…

The whole world is my gallery or museum…

…you gotta get on a plane to walk through my exhibition…

This gallery highlights select works from the 38 murals I’ve painted worldwide—each one a testament to creativity, community,
and global impact. There’s even more to explore beyond these walls!

  • Jenin City, Palestine. 2017

  • Jenin City, Palestine. 2017

  • "Sizwe" Johannesberg, South Africa. 2007

  • "Children of the Sun" Bell, California. 2012

  • "Children of the Sun" Bell, California. 2012

  • "Children of the sun," Bell, California. 2012

  • "Love letters to our mothers," The Bronx, New York. 2013

  • "Love letters to our mothers," The Bronx, New York. 2013

  • "Love letters to our mothers," The Bronx, New York. 2013

  • The Bronx, New York. 2013

  • The Bronx, New York. 2013

  • "Sweet's Ocean of Love" Provo, Utah; U.S.A. 2013.

  • "Sweet's Ocean of Love," Provo, Utah. 2013

  • Auckland, Aotearoa. 2014

  • Melbourne, Australia. 2014

  • "We come from the future" grant

  • "We come from the future" Brooklyn, New York. 2015

  • "We come from the future" Brooklyn, NY. 2015

  • "Black Puerto Rican Flag" El Barrio, NYC. 2016.

  • "Ngatu Mural Mandala" with Kyle Goen. Smithsonian Musuem, Washington D.C. 2016

  • Jenin City, Palestine. 2017

  • Jaresh/Gaza Camp, Jordan. 2017

  • detail "Keffiyeh mural" Jenin Camp, Palestine. 2017

  • detail "Keffiyeh mural" Jenin Camp, Palestine. 2017

  • detail "Keffiyeh mural" Jenin Camp, Palestine. 2017

  • detail, "Keffiyeh mural," Jenin Camp, Palestne. 2017

  • detail "Keffiyeh mural" Jenin Camp, Palestine. 2017

  • detail, "Keffiyeh mural," Jenin Camp, Palestine. 2017

  • Jenin Camp, Palestine. 2017

  • Jenin Camp, Palestine. 2017

  • Nairobi, Kenya. 2018

  • Nairobi, Kenya. 2018

  • Nairobi, Kenya. 2018

  • "Blackness brings forth life" Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Salt Lake City. 2020

  • "Blackness brings forth life" Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Salt Lake City. 2020

  • detail, "Blackness brings forth life," Utah Museum of Fine Arts; Salt Lake City, Utah. 2020

  • "Blackness brings forth life" Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Salt Lake City. 2020

  • Mosque Mural; Astoria, Queens, NYC. 2023

  • Mosque Mural; Astoria, Queens, NYC. 2023

  • "Sing your song!" Brooklyn, NY. 2023

  • "Sing your song!" Brooklyn, NY. 2023

  • "Sing your song!" Brooklyn, NY. 2023

  • "Sing your song!" Brookylyn, New York. 2023

  • Brooklyn, New York. 2023

  • Brooklyn, NYC. 2023

  • San Francisco, California. 2024

  • Sandy, Utah. 2024

Moana’s worldwide
mural
map

I have an infinite curiosity for the world—its people, cultures, and languages captivate me. Traveling the globe to create murals has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I’m inspired by how communities dream and bring those dreams to life, and my art reflects that spirit. Through my murals, I paint joy, tenacity, love, and beauty because I believe in creating a world where these values thrive.

Connect the paintbrushes

*bring me to paint a mural in your community*

*bring me to paint a mural in your community*

Each mural I create tells a story—a fusion of history, culture and community. My murals transform spaces into powerful reflections of identity and hope. Let’s bring your vision to life and leave a lasting impact in your community.

Bring me to your city, your school, your center, your community! Let’s paint something extraordinary together.