Hawaiʻi Contemporary (formerly Honolulu Biennial Foundation) is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting contemporary art and ideas in Hawaiʻi.

History

Hawaiʻi Contemporary was established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization in 2015 under the name Honolulu Biennial Foundation. It was founded by curators KJ Baysa and Isabella Ellaheh Hughes. In 2020, the organization moved to a triennial format and took its current name, Hawai‘i Contemporary. With this change, they initiated education programs throughout the year. In Spring 2021, Hawaiʻi Contemporary was awarded an Andy Warhol Foundation Grant to support the Hawaiʻi Triennial 2022. Hawaiʻi Contemporary was the only organization in Hawaiʻi to be awarded in that year for the prestigious grant.

Location

Hawaiʻi Contemporary is based in Honolulu, Hawa'i, and it frequently partners with local arts organizations to present contemporary art within a local cultural context. Recurring presenting partner institutions include:

ʻIolani Palace The Iolani Palace () was the royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi beginning with Kamehameha III under the Kamehameha Dynasty (1845) and ending with Queen Liliʻuokalani (1893) under the Kalākaua Dynasty. It is located i ...

, Hawaii State Art Museum,

Honolulu Museum of Art The Honolulu Museum of Art (formerly the Honolulu Academy of Arts) is an art museum in Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawaii. The museum is the largest of its kind in the state, and was founded in 1922 by Anna Rice Cooke. It has one of the largest single co ...

Bishop Museum The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, designated the Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, is a museum of history and science in the historic Kalihi district of Honolulu, Hawaii, Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. Founded in 1 ...

, ʻAliʻiolani Hale, Foster Botanical Gardens, and Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design.

Events

Honolulu Biennial 2017

The 2017 Biennial, titled ''Middle of Now , Here'', was curated by Fumio Nanjo and Ngahiraka Mason and took place from March 8–May 8 of that year. Each of the previous biennial events welcomed over 100,000 guests from Hawai‘i, the Pacific region, and around the world. Artists included: Vernon Ah Kee, Sama Alshaibi, Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan, Andrew Binkley, Drew Broderick, Jane Chang Mi,

Kaili Chun Kaili Chun (born 1962) is a Native Hawaiian sculptor and installation artist. She also is a lecturer at Kapi'olani Community College. Her works frequently address Hawaiian culture and history as well as the effects of Westernization. Natural and ...

, Sean Connelly, Beatrice Glow,

Brett Graham Brett Graham (born 1967) is a New Zealand sculptor who creates large scale artworks and installations that explore histories of imperialism and global indigenous issues. Graham lives and works in Waiuku on the southern shore of Manukau Harbour ...

, Marques Hanalei Marzan, Choi Jeong Hwa, Kathy Jetnil Kijiner, Mohammad Kazem, Yuki Kihara, Charlton Kūpa’a Hee,

Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese contemporary artist who works primarily in sculpture and Installation art, installation, and she is also active in painting, performance art, performance, video art, Fashion design, fashion, poetry, fiction, and other arts. Her wo ...

, Al Lagunero, Alexander Lee, Les Filter Feeders, Mariquita Micki Davis, Lee Mingwei, Eko Nugroho, Fiona Pardington, Lisa Reihana, Chris Ritson, Michelle L. Schwengel-Regala, Greg Semu, teamLab, John Vea, Zhan Wang, Lynne Yamamoto, and Ken & Julia Yonetani.

Honolulu Biennial 2019

The title of the 2019 Biennial, ''To Make Wrong / Right / Now'', was taken from the poem ''Manifesto'' by participating

Kanaka Maoli Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...

artist 'Imaikalani Kalahele. The 2019 Honolulu Biennial featured 47 artists based in and around the Pacific, and was curated by Nina Tonga, Josh Tengan (assistant curator), and Devon Bella (curatorial consultant). The Biennial focused on indigenous artists and local issues. Artists included: Pio Abad and Frances Wadsworth Jones, Bernice Akamine, DB Amorin,

Brook Andrew Brook Andrew (born 1970 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian contemporary artist. Work Andrew has exhibited internationally since 1996. His work focuses on Western narratives, especially relating to colonialism in the Australian context, and ...

, Ei Arakawa, James Bamba, Raymond Boisjoly, Bradley Capello, Central Pacific Time, Abraham Cruzvillegas, DAKOgamay, Demian DinéYazhi´, Solomon Enos, Nicholas Galanin, Andy Graydon, Taloi Havini, Hoʻoulu ʻĀina Artist Collective, ʻImaikalani Kalāhele, Florence Jaukae Kamel, Misaki Kawai, Lee Kit, Mat Kubo, Kapulani Landgraf, Chenta Laury, Ara Laylo, Jeremy Leatinu’u, Mario Lemafa,

Ellen Lesperance Ellen Lesperance (born 1971) is an American artist and educator, known for her paintings. Her works are typically gouache paintings that pattern the full-body garments of female activists engaged in Direct Action protests. She is based in Portlan ...

, Janet Lilo, Mata Aho Collective,

Leland Miyano Leland Miyano is an artist, landscape designer and author born and raised in Hawaiʻi. He received his Fine Arts degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. His books include ''A Pocket Guide to Hawaiʻi's Flowers'' (Mutual, 1997), ''Hawai ...

, Marianne Nicolson, Paul Pfeiffer, Postcommodity, Rosanna Raymond, SaVAge K'lub, Natalie Robertson,

Chiharu Shiota (born 1972) is a Japanese performance and installation artist and belongs to a generation of young artists who have gained international attention in recent years for body-related art. Shiota has lived and worked in Berlin, Germany since 1996. ...

, Bruna Stude, Taupōuri Tangarō, Cory Taum, Maika’i Tubbs, Kalisolaite ‘Uhila, Marie Watt, Guan Xiao, Amy Yao, and Young-Had Chang Heavy Industries.

Virtual Art Summit 2021

In February 2021, Hawaiʻi Contemporary hosted their first digital Art Summit, ''Pacific Century — E Ho‘omau no Moananuiākea''. The Art Summit explored the same theme as the 2022 Triennial, and also highlighted some of the featured artists. Notable international speakers include

Ai Weiwei Ai Weiwei ( ; , IPA: ; born 28 August 1957) is a Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian, and activist. Ai grew up in the far northwest of China, where he lived under harsh conditions due to his father's exile. As an activist, he has been ...

, Theaster Gates, and

Homi K. Bhabha Homi Kharshedji Bhabha (; born 1 November 1949) is an Indian people, Indian scholar and Critical Theorist, critical theorist. He is the Anne F. Rothenberg Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University. He is one of the most important figur ...

Hawaiʻi Triennial 2022

February 18–May 8, 2022 Hawaiʻi Contemporary will host the next Triennial, titled ''Pacific Century — E Hoʻomau no Moananuiākea''. The Triennial is curated by Dr. Melissa Chiu, Dr. Miwako Tezuka, and Drew Kahuʻāina Broderick. Featured artists include

(whose mask collection, ''The Way Follows Nature'', was made specifically to benefit Hawai’i Triennial 2022), Theaster Gates, Sun Xun, and Liu Xiaodong, as well as Hawaiʻi-based artists Herman Piʻikea Clark and Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio. "The show will focus on climate change, history, social activism, and indigenous knowledge about Hawaii in the context of Asia and Oceania."

References

{{reflist

External links

Official website
Organizations based in Hawaii Art biennials