The soothing sounds of a flute echo within a small room in a gallery at the Davies Pacific Center in Downtown Honolulu. A projection light shines intricate patterns on a white wall as the images move with every musical note.
Tongan artist Sione Faletau's digital soundscape piece uses a projection to map out his art. Visitors hear his cousin playing the Tongan nose flute.
Faletau is one of 49 artists showcasing their work at the 2025 Hawaiʻi Triennial, the state's largest thematic exhibit of contemporary art displayed from Feb. 15 to May 4.
Rosina Potter, executive director of Hawaiʻi Contemporary, which hosts the 78-day event, said the triennial underscores the importance of allowing artists to communicate through their works.
"We're sometimes able to have the most difficult conversations, whether it's related to climate change, sovereignty, or the way the lives have been affected here but are in relation to other places," she said.
The event, formerly known as the Honolulu Biennial, debuted in 2017. Now, it's known as the Hawaiʻi Triennial and is held every three years. It attracts more than 100,000 visitors, with artists coming from across the Pacific Ocean and other regions.
In its fourth iteration, the Hawaiʻi Triennial has expanded from Oʻahu to Maui and Hawaiʻi Island for the first time.
Potter said the event's purpose is to elevate Hawaiʻi artists and ensure they showcase their art alongside internationally recognized artists.
The triennial has a mixture of immersive and conversational work. Some works of art are small, like flowers spread across the floor, while others are sculptures that nearly touch the ceiling. The materials used in the pieces range from ink, paint, kapa, seaweed, and more.
This year's theme, ALOHA NŌ, aims to challenge the notions of aloha and reframe it as a way of life.
Noelle Kahanu, one of the three curators of the triennial, said it's the first time a theme has been in the Hawaiian language.
"We struggled with the idea of aloha because it's so over-commodified, and people assume they understand what it means," she said. "Which I think is part of the reason why we want to choose it and to contextualize it by adding the NŌ to it."
Kahanu said NŌ in a Hawaiian context means "a lot," but she said some people might think it means rejection if there's no context.
However, the event's planners wanted to push the notion of the ALOHA NŌ.
"How do we think about demilitarization? How do we think about over-commodification or commercialization?" she said. "All of these things that happen to communities and how is ALOHA NŌ then understood in this broader context beyond Hawaiʻi."
Kahanu said she and the other curators looked at artists from Okinawa, Puerto Rico, and other areas with a shared history of colonization.
The triennial has 11 exhibits on Oʻahu, one on Maui, and two on Hawaiʻi Island. According to the Hawaiʻi Triennial's website, the event is mostly free to the public, with the exception of Bishop Museum, which has a $10 pre-sale and charges $15 at the door for generation admission.
On Oʻahu, the exhibits will be at Hō‘ikeākea Gallery at Leeward Community College, Bishop Museum, Foster Botanical Garden, Fort Street Mall, HT25 HUB at Davies Pacific Center, Capitol Modern, Honolulu Hale, Aupuni Space, Honolulu Museum of Art, Fort DeRussy and Lēʻahi.
On Maui, the exhibit will be held at Hale Hō‘ike‘ike at the Bailey House. On Hawaiʻi Island, the exhibits are at the Donkey Mill Art Center and East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center.
Potter emphasized that street parking is available around the area.
The Hawaiʻi Triennial is also handing out a printed guide and a phone application in Bloomberg Connects.
"Our website has very specific details about each opening and also a really great list of public programs that people can participate in," Potter said.
Hawaiʻi Contemporary budgeted $3.8 million over three years. Potter said Hawaiʻi Contemporary relied on partnerships to house the artists.
Kahanu said her favorite part about the Hawaiʻi Triennial is the artistic engagement and putting the spotlight back on contemporary art.
"It's a great opportunity to see world-class, world-caliber artists, but also to understand people from Hawai'i, our Hawaiian artists, are all standing on equal footing," Kahanu said.
For more information on attending events, programs, and more, click here.
