Page 12 - MidWeek - Feb 16, 2022

12 MIDWEEK FEBRUARY 16, 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 kicks off this week 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
BY BILL MOSSMAN se tio fle first time that ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i isen included in the title of the period-na ic exhibition. This is significanthe
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 Maoanuiākea. The brainchild of Drew Broder- ick, one of Chiu’s two associate curators, the title carries multiple meanings and speaks to the over- all message behind the event.
as it reflects the moment we’ reDr. living through ... and marks an- other step in the right directionbe for the organization, one guidedFo by indigenous worldviews andfir committed to a more rooted fu- ture here in Hawai‘i.” to
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 exhibition opens on thetre grounds of ‘Iolani Palace andan features an outdoor projectionex of digitally animated flowersre crafted by Los Angeles-basedAu artist Jennifer Steinkamp — adir clear reminder of the legacy ofM Queen Lili‘uokalani and her gar-W den, Uluhaimalama. Thereafter,tre sites around Honolulu will begintre showcasing the works of moresp than 40 individual artists and collectives before the curtainsme finally close on the show May 8.glo
Say hello to Hawai‘i Triennial 2022, a citywide exhibition that throws back the curtains begin- ning this Friday, Feb. 18, before going on an 11-week run at ven- ues around town. (See complete listing of sites on page 13.)
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
With artist-led workshops,an panel discussions, walking toursa n SEE PAGE 13Ch
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MIDWEEK COVER STORY