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Lynne Yamamoto. "House for Listening to Rain," 2011.

Now On View

Lynne Yamamoto: House for Listening to Rain

Known for her ethereal gallery installations, artist Lynne Yamamoto's wood structure in the Spalding House garden is her first outdoor, site-specific work. The piece is inspired by her interest in the vernacular and provisional architecture of Hawai‘i, in particular, the use of corrugated metal roofing. Yamamoto's “house” e… DETAILS
Nic Nicosia, American, born 1951Real Pictures #11 (detail), 1988/pri…

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Anxiety’s Edge

The integration of the Honolulu Academy of Arts and The Contemporary Museum is about making contemporary art more accessible to the community. The first sign of that is this long-term exhibition of works by leading contemporary artists such as Kara Walker and Gregory Crewdson, who explore complex ideas and concerns about current social, poli… DETAILS
Bruna Stude. "Cityscape [Man-made] No. 1," 2011. Platinum/palladium print.

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Biennial of Hawai‘i Artists X

The invited artists in the Biennial of Hawai‘i Artists X are Mary Babcock, Solomon Enos, Jianjie Ji, Jaisy Hanlon, Sally Lundburg, and Bruna Stude. Each artist has been provided with gallery space to show a body of several works or create an installation at Spalding House. Inaugurated in 1993, The Contemporary Museum Biennial of Hawai… DETAILS
M.F. Husain, Indian (1915-2011). 'Vishnu on Garuda.' Acrylic on canv…

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In Memoriam: Maqbool Fida Husain

June 9, 2011 saw the passing of one of India’s premier contemporary artists, Maqbool Fida (M.F.) Husain (1915-2011). Husain was born in Pandharpur, Maharashtra, but moved to Bombay in 1937, where he gained a meager salary from, among other things, painting cinema hoardings (hand-painted billboards advertising films). Inspired by the ex… DETAILS
Ruaille Buaille (Highjinx) (2008. Sculpture in the Parklands in Coun…

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Patrick Dougherty: Footloose

Environmental artist Patrick Dougherty was at the Honolulu Museum of Art from Feb. 6 to 24, creating his seven-part sculpture Footloose. In just over two weeks, the North Carolina-based artist and a small army of volunteers harvested, then stripped, twisted and wove strawberry guava tree saplings to create a large, organic sculpture. The sur… DETAILS
Unidentified maker. "Na Kihapai Nani Lua 'Ole O Edena a Me Elenale (…

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Regal and Royal Hawaiian Quilts

Through Hawaiian quilts, we can see a response to a century and a half of adaptation and change. On view will be 11 historic quilts from the museum’s collection in celebration of this Hawaiian textile tradition. Hawaiian quiltmaking is an art recognized the world over, and the majority of works feature a distinctive, dramatic floral d… DETAILS
Dog. China, Han dynasty (206BC-AD220). Earthenware with glaze. Gift …

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Comforts for the Soul: Han Dynasty Arts for the Afterlife

Roughly coinciding with the Roman Empire, the Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) was a pivotal period in Chinese history that significantly shaped China’s cultural identity. Like the ancient Egyptians, the Han-dynasty Chinese had complex beliefs concerning the afterlife. They referred to the tomb as a “subterranean palace” (di… DETAILS
Kawase Hasui (1883-1957). "Evening Snow at Terajima Village," Japan,…

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Kawase Hasui: Capturing the Ephemeral

Early in the 20th century, publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) launched an effort to revitalize traditionally made woodblock prints. Watanabe sought to preserve the collaborative process (between publisher, designer, block-carvers and printers) while introducing updated subjects and styles that were commercially viable for a contemporar… DETAILS
Imogen Cunningham (American, 1883-1976). 'Magnolia Blossom,' 1925. G…

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The Living Mirror: Luminaries of 20th-Century Modernist Photography

At the close of the 19th century, photography shifted from a pictorial style, characterized by images with soft lighting, brilliant highlights and rich blacks that were manipulated and reconstructed during the printing process. A new society called the Photo Secessionists was formed, and their credo was to advance photography as “pure&… DETAILS
Miss Persis Thurston (American, 1821-1906). Published by Lahainaluna…

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Hawai‘i's First Pictures: Prints from the Lahainaluna Seminary

From 1834 to 1844, the Lahainaluna Seminary—a school in the hills above Lahaina for aspiring mission-school teachers—was the locale of an extraordinary experiment: the establishment of the first printing press in Hawai‘i and the pioneering production of engravings and illustrated books. The mastermind and energizing force b… DETAILS
Jamie Allen. "Spotted," mixed-media on paper.

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Breath: Works by Jamie Allen

The Honolulu Museum of Art Spalding House Café Gallery exhibits mixed-media paintings on paper by Jamie Allen. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and an adjunct professor at Hawaii Pacific University, Allen combines watercolor, acrylic, paint marker, and pencil to create her dynamic environments, which are a collection o… DETAILS
Now On View

Hawaii Quilt Guild Annual Exhibition

Every year the members of the Hawaii Quilt Guild show their best new work in an exhibition at the Honolulu Museum of Art School. This year's show features the guild's outreach division Na Lima Aloha, whose projects include the themes Quilts of Valor, Wounded Warrior and Operation Kid Comfort. This year's Quilt Challenge is based on a six-in… DETAILS
John Yukio Clark. "Grandma's Story." Mixed media.

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Fourth Schaefer Portrait Challenge

This statewide, juried triennial exhibition features artists from the islands of O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i along with portrait subjects who live and work in the state and have a significant connection to the artist. The 2012 Challenge comprises 59 works from 57 individual artists. Those familiar with the history of th… DETAILS
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858). "Night Snow at Kambara from the serie…

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Hiroshige: An Artist's Journey

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) is often called "Japan's artist." Emerging at a critical juncture in the arts during the 19th century, as landscapes began to ascend to dominance in woodblock prints, Hiroshige's evocative depictions of the natural world have become iconic representations of pre-industrial Japan on the cusp of its transformation… DETAILS
Keone Nunes (Hawaiian, b. 1957). Pahu Pahu on Keliiokalani Makua. Ph…

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Tattoo Honolulu

Tattooing is art. After decades of being viewed as a mark of the marginal, tattoos have gone mainstream and are winning over the art establishment—including the Honolulu Museum of Art. The lines between ink on skin and paint on canvas or pencil on paper have been blurred with tattoo artists reaching the skill level of other artist… DETAILS
Surf Line Hawaii. "Jams, Jamkini and Floppy Hat," c. 1965. Cotton. C…

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Boardshorts: A Perfect Fit

Hawai‘i’s unofficial uniform is the boardshort—a perfect fit for the birthplace of surfing. Boardshorts in Hawai‘i were initially created as custom-made surf trunks by tailors at popular venues such as the H. Miura Store in Hale‘iwa, Take’s in Waikīkī, or M. Nii’s in Mākaha during the 1950s. These ea… DETAILS
Mayumi Oda (born Japan, active Hawai‘i). "Vegetable Nirvana," 2011. …

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Mayumi Oda: A Prayer for the New Birth of Japan

I have recently returned to an active life in the arts, painting Buddhist subjects in the ancient Yamato-e (literally “Japanese painting”) style. Through this process, I have rediscovered traditional paper, inks and brushes and the beauty of classical mounting techniques. I showed my new works to the Honolulu Museum of Art in ear… DETAILS