Page 4 - MidWeek Kauai - Feb 23, 2022

4 KAUA‘I MIDWEEK FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Dr. Melissa Chiu, curator for Hawai‘i Triennial 2022, is flanked by her associate curators, Dr. Miwako Tezuka and Drew Broderick, at Honolulu Museum of Art.
PHOTO COURTESY HAWAI‘I CONTEMPORARY/BRANDYN LIU
Contemporary art lovers, rejoice! Hawai‘i Triennial 2022 has kicked off
in Honolulu and promises to be the grandest art exhibition yet.
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Question: What do you get when scores of art- ists unite within a vi-
BY BILL MOSSMAN be wa alo
brant 21st-century arts ecosystem in Honolulu, and each anxious to share the fruits of his or her in- spired labors with others?
focus is on interweaving themes of history, place and identity, as well as remedying cultural con- cerns while forging a way into what former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton once called “the Pacific Century.”
Part of HT22’s distinctiveness lies in its title, Pacific Century – E Ho‘omau no Moanuiākea. The brainchild of Drew Broderick, one of Chiu’s two associate cu- rators, the title carries multiple meanings and speaks to the over- all message behind the event.
included in the title of the period-or ic exhibition. This is significantpr as it reflects the moment we’rehi living through ... and marks an-re other step in the right directiontio for the organization, one guideddis by indigenous worldviews andwe committed to a more rooted fu-as ture here in Hawai‘i.” clu The exhibition opened on
Answer: The biggest, most-an- ticipated contemporary arts show ever grown and staged in the Pa- cific.
“This show is really about ask- ing the question: If it really is the Pacific Century, what does that look like?” says event curator Dr. Melissa Chiu, noting that Clinton first made the reference a decade ago during a speech at East-West Center.
“First, it recognizes the loca- tion of the Hawaiian archipelago, midway between North America and Asia,” explains Broderick. “The (Pacific Century) idea pre- scribes a shift from trans-Atlantic or U.S.-European economic and cultural supremacy toward the growing significance of Asia.
the grounds of ‘Iolani Palacewi last week and featured an out-ter door projection of digitally an-Ga imated flowers crafted by Lossh Angeles-based artist Jennifer Steinkamp — a clear reminder ofw the legacy of Queen Lili‘uokala-ser ni and her garden, Uluhaimala-of ma. Since then, sites around Ho-ot nolulu have begun showcasingex the works of more than 40 indi-tio vidual artists and collectives withan the curtains expected to close oncu the show May 8. of
Say hello to Hawai‘i Trienni- al 2022, a citywide exhibition that threw back the curtains last week and is slated for an 11- week run at venues around Ho- nolulu. (See complete listing of sites on page 5.)
HT22 is just one way of answer- ing the question while also estab- lishing Hawai‘i’s soul-defining role as that all-important “central, cultural place,” she clarifies.
“Second, it acknowledges kānaka ‘ōiwi language and cul- tural values through a call to ac- tion — a timely reminder to per- severe and continue on, across time and space, in relation to the many archipelagic nations of Moananui,” he adds. “It is important to note that this is the first time that ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i is
Previously known as Honolu- lu Biennial, HT22 is the event’s first attempt at operating under an every-three-years’ format. Like its previous iterations, this year’s showcase features the fruits, or artworks, of many tal- ented homegrown and nonnative artists. This time, however, the
“For Hawai‘i, this is an opportu- nity, on one hand, to see an exhibi- tion of international art,” explains Chiu. “On the other hand, the ex- hibition speaks to thinking about what Hawai‘i can offer the world that is unique.”
With artist-led workshops,M panel discussions, walkingde
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KAUA‘I MIDWEEK COVER STORY