An exhibit at the University of Hawaiʻi celebrates the art of Native Hawaiian artist Michele Zalopany.
“Nana I Ka Kumu, Pay Attention to the Source” showcases large-scale, pastel paintings that weave together personal and historical imagery. There are also drawings of family photos and collections from the state archives.
“Through her research of the history of representation of the Kanaka ʻŌiwi, Michele Zalopany’s work speaks with power and conviction as artist who has experienced the diaspora of people, whose families have left Hawaiʻi for economic reasons,” said Debra Drexler, interim director of the John Young Museum of Art and UH Mānoa galleries, in a news release.
“She approaches the difficult subjects of racism and disenfranchisement with grace and sophistication. Her figurative pastel paintings are evocative, and reach a level of technical skill that speaks to her mastery as an artist.”
Zalopany is rooted in her Indigenous identity growing up between Hawaiʻi and Detroit.
Her work has been recognized in more than 25 museum collections worldwide. Her work was featured at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Walker Art Center.
The exhibit runs until Dec. 8 at the university's Commons Gallery. It’s open Tuesday through Friday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
