Gas stations are part of everyday life in Hawaiʻi. We pass them often without much thought, yet they quietly shape how we live.

Hawaiʻi remains heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels. In 2024, about 70% of Oʻahu’s electricity came from petroleum, and nearly 80% of the state’s total energy use relied on imported oil. Even as renewable energy and electric vehicles grow, petroleum continues to play a major role in daily life.

At the same time, global uncertainty has made fuel supply less predictable. For an island state, this raises a simple but urgent question: what happens if those shipments stop?

Across Honolulu, some gas stations are already changing - becoming restaurants, shops, and other small businesses. This is not new. Gas stations have long adapted to meet community needs, serving not only as places to refuel, but as informal gathering spaces.

Gas Stations Hawaiʻi brings together photography by Mike Williams alongside historical and cultural perspectives. The exhibition looks at what these places have been - and what they might become.

We are honored to bring together a group of deeply respected guests, each contributing their unique perspective and expertise to this program. This gathering invites us to reimagine something as ordinary as a gas station, transforming it into a space of deeper reflection - something arcane, layered, and rich with meaning. It is our hope that each participant can share in their own strength, creating a collective experience that expands how we see the everyday.

We are especially grateful to welcome the following contributors:

DeSoto Brown, Historian at Bishop Museum, will explore the history of gas stations in Hawaiʻi, grounding our conversation in place and time.

Gaye Chan, conceptual artist and former Professor of Photography, will guide us through the exhibition while reflecting on the role of documentation and artistic interpretation.

William Chapman, Director of the Historic Preservation Program at the University of Hawaiʻi, together with Karolyn Jones, will shed light on how preservation can be examined and practiced through their work and program.

Jonathan Chinen, design technologist, and Aaron Padilla, Education Director at the Honolulu Museum of Art, will share insights on integrating creativity into everyday community spaces and rethinking the mundane.

Wendy Maeguro, architect and Associate Professor with the Sea Grant College Program, will present key data on energy consumption across our islands. She will be joined by Hans Krock, Emeritus Professor of Ocean and Resources Engineering, who will discuss potential solutions for harnessing thermal energy from the ocean-offering alternatives to our reliance on fossil fuels.

Together, these voices help us reframe the familiar, inviting new ways of thinking about infrastructure, environment, and community.