Page 4 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - Feb 23, 2022

4 HAWAI‘I ISLAND 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-
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.”
world that is unique.”
Part of HT22’s distinctiveness
tio first time that ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i isfle included in the title of the period-en ic exhibition. This is significantna as it reflects the moment we’ rehe living through ... and marks an-Dr
BY BILL MOSSMAN wa se
brant 21st-century arts ecosystem in Honolulu, and each anxious to share the fruits of his or her in- spired labors with others?
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.
other step in the right direction for the organization, one guidedbe by indigenous worldviews andFo committed to a more rooted fu-fir ture here in Hawai‘i.”
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.
Last week, the exhibitionto opened on the grounds of ‘Io-tre lani Palace and featured anan outdoor projection of digitallyex animated flowers crafted by Losre Angeles-based artist JenniferA Steinkamp — a clear reminder ofdir the legacy of Queen Lili‘uokala-M ni and her garden, Uluhaimala-W ma. Since then, sites around Ho-tre nolulu have been showcasing thetre works of more than 40 individualsp artists and collectives before the curtains finally close on the showm May 8. gl
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 an- swering the question while also establishing Hawai‘i’s soul-de- fining role as that all-important “central, cultural place,” she clarifies.
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 will feature the fruits, or artworks, of many tal- ented homegrown and nonnative artists. This time, however, the
“For Hawai‘i, this is an oppor- tunity, on one hand, to see an ex- hibition of international art,” ex- plains Chiu. “On the other hand, the exhibition speaks to thinking about what Hawai‘i can offer the
“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
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HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK COVER STORY