A recent roundtable centered around the "7 Degrees North - The Arts of Micronesia" exhibit highlighted the successes and challenges faced by artists from Micronesia residing in Hawaiʻi.
The exhibit, which was on view at the UH Hamilton Library's Bridge Gallery until last week, blended traditional and contemporary work into art forms ranging from woven baskets to graphic-designed t-shirts.
The exhibit first debuted at the Downtown Art Center over the summer, before it was moved to UH. Curator Floyd Takeuchi said it will return in June next year.
"We featured contemporary Micronesian artists who live in Hawaiʻi and who've made Hawaiʻi their home, and it's been a huge success, the show," Takeuchi said.
"The fact is that the Micronesian community is not a simple immigrant community, but a very complex community with a lot of talent. I hope that we can continue to emphasize that in this show and other shows to come," he said.
The exhibit roundtable included — but was not limited to — Lissette Yamase, a Pohnpeian and Chuukese charcoal portrait artist; Anthony Watson, a Palauan carver; Eric Cano, a Chuukese graphic artist who designs Micronesia-inspired clothing; Kalany Omengkar, a Palauan and Chamorro artist and designer who uses charcoal, oil paints and computer-generated art.
Yamase said her artwork is dedicated to legends and people back home. She would call her classmates for inspiration and draw portraits from there.
"Artwork has been a long-term tool for me to reconnect with my culture, especially because I grew up in a mixed household," Yamase said.
She hopes other mixed-Micronesian children in the diaspora can relate to her work, adding that it encourages them to reconnect with their identity and cultural values.
Stonecarver Watson said he developed an affinity for jewelry arts. He carved pendants out of jasper and jade while picking up other skills, such as blacksmithing, along the way.
"Cutting and grinding large stones intensified my whole approach to artwork," he said. "It's gotten to the point where I'm now considering making storyboards. But I'm challenging myself to increase the process in terms of size, complexity and visual challenge for myself."
Micronesia is located in Oceania's western region. It comprises the Federated States of Micronesia (Yap, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei), the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan, Tinian and Rota), Guam, the Republic of Kiribati and the Republic of Nauru.
But Micronesians say they have long faced discrimination and prejudice in Hawai'i as a migrant community.
Omengkar said when he first launched his business, he couldn't say that it was Micronesian-owned and run.
"The businesses would figure it out, and we wouldn't even get a callback," he said. "So you learn to hold a lot of information back."
"Then they learn about you, and they're like, 'Oh, I didn't know. You're so different,'" he continued. "It's a pill you have to swallow, but it's a fight that my team and I are doing and bringing a sense of pride to people and kids."
Takeuchi said the "7 Degrees North - The Arts of Micronesia" exhibit continues to grow with more Micronesians showcasing their craft.
"There was a lot of passion in their stories, and that, I think, reflects how good they are because you have to be passionate to be a good artist," Takeuchi said. "The passions they have are artistic and personal, and if anyone is going to be a change agent, they will be."
