© 2024 Hawaiʻi Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Artists from across the Asia-Pacific come together at 7 Honolulu venues for Hawaiʻi Triennial 2022

Artist Leeroy New prepares his piece at Foster Botanical Garden for the Hawaiʻi Triennial 2022.
Lila Lee
/
Leeroy New/Facebook
Artist Leeroy New prepares his piece at Foster Botanical Garden for the Hawaiʻi Triennial 2022.

The first Hawaiʻi Triennial art festival unfolds this week in Honolulu. The festival takes place across a number of venues and celebrates Hawaiʻi’s unique position in the Asia-Pacific region through art.

Expect active and immersive experiences, many outdoors, in this inaugural Hawaiʻi Triennial, HT22. Across Honolulu, for the next 11 weeks, you'll encounter art from Hawaiʻi, the Philippines, Australia, Samoa, China, Japan and more.

One idea is to explore and rediscover Honolulu through activations in seven quite different venues: Bishop Museum, Foster Botanical Garden, Hawaiʻi Theatre Center, Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, ʻIolani Palace Royal Hawaiian Center, and the Honolulu Museum of Art.

Moananuiākea is the region touched by Pacific waters. HT22 is titled "Pacific Century – E Hoʻomau no Moananuiākea," drawing together ideas from artists linked by the Pacific. The works explore history, the idea of place, environmental consciousness, Indigenous knowledge and more.

Weavers came together over the course of 4 days to weave a moena alolua (lauhala mat) for ʻAi Pōhaku Press' Hawaiʻi Triennial 2022 installation at the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum.
Hawaiʻi Contemporary
/
Facebook
Weavers came together over the course of 4 days to weave a moena alolua (lauhala mat) for ʻAi Pōhaku Press' Hawaiʻi Triennial 2022 installation at the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum.

Visual artist Ai Weiwei, designer of Beijing's Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium, is an international art star for good reason. His works change peoples’ perceptions. Ai Weiwei opens Sunday in Honolulu's Foster Botanical Garden.

That's Family Sunday at the Honolulu Museum of Art, so admission is free as HT22 opens there. The Bishop Museum features Hawaiʻi Triennial artists opening Friday.

HT22's grand launch begins Wednesday night. The ornate exterior of ʻIolani Palace will come to life with moving images.

Artist Jennifer Steinkamp projects images from Queen Liliʻuokalani’s beloved garden, ʻUluhaimālama, onto the Palace facade.

Through Steinkamp’s artwork, the Queen’s former prison will blossom with her favorite flowers. At ʻIolani Palace, Wednesday through Friday from sundown to midnight.

Hawaiʻi Triennial events and artwork are on view across the city through May 8, 2022. Click here to plan your visit.

Noe Tanigawa covered art, culture and ideas for two decades at Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
Related Stories