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Photo: Feducia
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About FORWARD Journal is a curated exploration of the people shaping Ward Village, a new community in the heart of Honolulu. With a focus on artful living, innovating entrepreneurs, and community stewards, this publication reflects a neighborhood grounded in its past, but passionate about its future.
In this issue, we’re paying homage to art in its many mediums. Whether it’s the forthcoming Honolulu Biennial, an interview with an internationally renowned husband-and-wife art team, or examining the culinary arts at the newly opened Nobu, art is omnipresent in the city, and we couldn’t be more thankful. Here’s hoping you enjoy the issue, that it rekindles your love of the arts, and that you dive into the world-class exhibits that are about to take over the city.
T A B L E
O F
C O N T E N T S
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MIDDLE OF NOW | HERE
IN THE LIGHT
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TOGETHER
THE CREATIVE PALETTE
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20
BACK TO NATURE
EVENTS CALENDAR
ON THE COVER Art by Les Filter Feeders, who will be displaying their work at the Honolulu Biennial beginning in March.
Top: Beatrice Glow, Rhunhattan Tearoom (2015) | Bottom: teamLab, Graffiti Nature (2016)
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Middle of Now | Here Introducing the 2017 Honolulu Biennial
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Building a Biennial Text by By Isabella Ellaheh Hughes and Katherine Ann Leilani Tuider Directors and Co-Founders, Honolulu Biennial Foundation
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here are more than 100 different international biennials and triennials spread across the world. Singapore, Sydney, Istanbul, Berlin, Havana, Aichi, Bussan, Liverpool, and of course, the oldest, Venice Biennale (founded in 1895) are but a few of the more established exhibits. So just what is a biennial? At their core, these exhibits focus on contemporary visual art, occur every two years, and generally tend to be large-scale, often eschewing the formal format of a museum. Spread throughout multiple spaces within a city, these festivities place an emphasis on newly commissioned artworks that respond to a specific curatorial theme that holds the biennial together and more often than not, the history of the space and city where the artworks are exhibited. At their essence, biennials are non-commercial festivals that exhibit local artists alongside international artists. They are platforms for celebrating contemporary art and offering room for meaningful cultural exchange, complemented by a robust set of public programs, educational events, and during the opening week, a VIP program. We [Isabella and Katherine] decided to co-found the Honolulu Biennial Foundation (HBF), a 501(c)3 that presents Honolulu Biennial with our third co-founder, Dr. KJ Baysa because of our shared love of Hawai‘i. And after living, traveling, and working on the continent and abroad for many years, we were struck by something:
Zhan Wang, Artificial Rock No. 133 (2007)
outside of Hawai‘i, very little is known about our vibrant, contemporary art scene that is currently underway. Recognizing the power that biennials have to highlight a local art scene on an international platform, coupled with the fact that Honolulu doesn’t have any spaces solely dedicated to exhibiting local and international contemporary artists, we saw an opportunity and the HBF was born as a volunteer-run arts nonprofit in 2014. After three years of planning and fundraising, we’re so proud to be debuting Honolulu Biennial, entitled, Middle of Now | Here, which runs from March 8 to May 8, 2017. Spread over nine different sites within the city and featuring 33 artists from Hawai‘i, the Pacific, Asian continent, and North America the biennial has the power to reshape the state’s connection to art. Fumio Nanjo, Director of Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum, serves as the curatorial director and Ngahiraka Mason, formerly the curator of Indigenous Art, Maori Art at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, a position she held for 20 years, is serving as curator of Middle of Now | Here. Biennials also have the ability to position cities that were previously under-the-radar as central and highly relevant centers for contemporary arts and culture. In turn, they bring in visitors from all over the world who specifically travel to attend the biennial and, experience other facets of the arts and culture scene of the host city, supporting holistically the creative economy and local businesses. HBF is truly a community endeavor and we’re working with more than 40 different partners, including the State, City and County, museums
Sama Alshaibi, Wasl (Union) (2016)
and cultural institutions, foundations, media partners, corporate and private donors, our Title and Founding Sponsor, The Howard Hughes Corporation and Ward Village, and an army of volunteers, interns, board members and specifically contracted staff to build out and execute a truly world-class, dynamic, and distinctive biennial for our hometown. Working with N Mea Hawai‘i, we’re also producing an online guide, listing other arts and culture events occurring in Honolulu and greater Hawai‘i during the biennial period via our Umeke Umbrella initiative found at: www.honolulubiennial.org/umeke-umbrella. Building Honolulu Biennial has been a humbling and rewarding opportunity to get to know and collaborate with so many members of our community, from every sector, as well as internationally. Even before opening the biennial, we have already begun to notice the positive effects that Honolulu Biennial is having on our art scene and how it's elevating the profile of local artists and the city. Emerging artists from Hawai‘i are being featured in top national and international publications covering this new event; world-renowned curators and museum directors have expressed interest in learning more about our local and Native Hawaiian artists, with travel plans to attend this inaugural edition. Additionally, we’re excited about the opportunity to support meaningful cultural exchange between our culture and so many other different countries and cultures — exhibiting for the first time artists from all over
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Asia, the Pacific and North America, with many of them creating new and timely commissions.
A Brush up on Biennials As the world’s oldest and most storied biennial, t h e Ve n i c e B i e n n a l e h a s b e c o m e a d e s t i n at i o n f o r b o t h a r t - l ov i n g v i s i t o r s from across the world and Ve n e t i a n s f o r m o r e t h a n a c e nt u r y, a n d i s l a r ge l y regarded as the most i n f l u e nt i a l o f a l l b i e n n i a l s .
We’re often asked, “what does success mean for you?” and for us, our deepest hope is that Honolulu Biennial can be a catalyst for the larger, contemporary art world that has largely ignored or been too unaware of the tremendous talents in Hawai‘i, to take notice. The success of this event is best measured by looking two to five years into the future. We hope to see an increased representation of Native Hawaiians and artists who hail from Hawai‘i exhibiting nationally and internationally in museums, galleries and of course, other biennials! Additionally, promoting tolerance, understanding, respect, and cultural exchange through the arts and offering educational opportunities for engagement with the biennial is also of great importance to us and is another metric of our success. Starting something new in Hawai‘i is by no means easy. For every “yes” we heard, we probably heard “no” 20 times. But despite the multiple dead ends, closed doors and skeptics, we met so many people and organizations that were so generous with their time, expertise, and support. We are forever indebted to all the bold risk-takers who’ve invested their time, energy, donations, volunteer hours, and support to launch Honolulu Biennial.
Fumio Nanjo, Director of Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum, serves as the curator of the Honolulu Biennial.
The São Paulo Biennial in Brazil (the largest in the Americas) first opened in 1951, and is only held during even-numbered years. The Biennale of Sydney, Australia debuted down under in 1973, making it the third oldest biennial in the world. The event runs from June through September in even-numbered years throughout various galleries and exhibits in Sydney. The Ve n i ce B i e nnale was o r i g i n a l l y e nv i sio ne d a s a Wo rld Fair fo r co nte mpo rar y ar t and wa s me a nt to se r ve as a p re tex t fo r t he we d d i ng a n n i ve r s a r y o f t he I t ali an ki n g i n 18 9 5 . Fe atu ri n g co nte m p o rar y Afr i c a n ar t , t he Dak 'A r t B i e n n i a l i s he l d i n Dak ar, S e ne ga l i n M ay d ur ing eve n -nu m b e re d ye ar s.
Andrew Binkley, Stone Cloud (2017)
Drew Broderick, Billboard I (The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness) (2017)
Charlton Kupa’a Hee, Pōhue: storied gourds (detail) (2016)
The success of this event is best measured by looking two to five years into the future. We hope to see an increased representation of Native Hawaiians and artists who hail from Hawai‘i exhibiting nationally and internationally in museums, galleries and of course, other biennials.
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Venues
Artists 1
6
TEAMLAB
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(b. 1978) HAWAI`I | USA
JAPAN
Honolulu, Hawai‘i
KALIHI
The Eyes of the Gods | 2017 single-channel video with sound
Graffiti Nature | 2016 interactive digital installation
(14:00 duration)
(dimensions variable) 5
Pu`uloa | 2017 pencil and ink drawings
team-Lab.net
CHINATOWN
(dimensions variable)
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janecmi.com 4
2
6 8
1
8 WAIKIKI
(dimensions variable) #kailichun
Native Hawaiian artist Kaili Chun produces thought-provoking, impactful installations using relatively unconventional materials. Her innovative work often explores the affects that Westernization has had on Hawaiian culture. “Using unconventional materials I create large-scale installations that often reference the impact the past continues to have on the present day. Themes of self-containment and self-empowerment are juxtaposed against notions of systemic power to untangle the individual from perceived limitations.”
DIAMOND HEAD
9
1
VERNON AH KEE (b. 1967) AUSTRALIA CantChant | 2009 three-channel video installation
1
6
THE HUB AT WARD VILLAGE
BERNICE PAUAHI | BISHOP MUSEUM
Museum hours: EVERY DAY 12 PM - 7 PM, except
Hours: EVERY DAY 12 PM - 7 PM, except Wednesdays
Wednesdays
1525 Bernice St. Honolulu, HI 96817
333 Ward Ave. Honolulu, HI 96814
(dimensions variable) cernonahkee.blogspot.com 1
“Wasl” (Arabic for “Union” – from the project Silsila) | 2017 Single-channel video with sound
+1 808-847-3511
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HONOLULU MUSEUM OF ART
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Sculpture on view 24/7. Museum hours: Tuesday-Saturday
THE ARTS AT MARKS GARAGE
10am-4:30pm, Sundays 1-5pm, closed Mondays.
Hours: EVERY DAY 12 PM - 7 PM, except Wednesdays
900 S Beretania St. Honolulu, HI 96814
1159 Nuuanu Ave. Honolulu, HI 96817
honolulumuseum.org
artsatmarks.com
+1 808-532-8700
+1 808-521-2903
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HAWAI‘I PRINCE HOTEL WAIKIKI
Museum hours: EVERY DAY 10am–5pm, except Wednesdays.
Hours: EVERY DAY 12 PM - 7 PM, except Wednesdays
1240 Ala Moana Blvd. #400 Honolulu, HI 96814
100 Holomoana St. Honolulu, HI 96815
wardvillage.com
princeresortshawaii.com
+1 808-591-8411
+1 808-956-1111
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HONOLULU HALE Hours: EVERY DAY 12 PM - 7 PM, except Wednesdays
530 S King St. Honolulu, HI 96813
Hours: EVERY DAY 12 PM - 7 PM, except Wednesdays
honolulu.gov
4055 Papu Cir, Honolulu HI 96816
+1 808-768-6622
shangrilahawaii.org +1 808-734-1941
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FOSTER BOTANICAL GARDEN Hours: EVERY DAY 12 PM - 7 PM, except Wednesdays
honolulu.gov +1 808-522-7060
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Thatch Assembly with Rocks | 2017 wood, thatching, rocks (dimensions variable)
ALFREDO AND ISABEL AQUILIZAN (b.1962, b. 1965) PHILIPPINES | AUSTRALIA
@seanwconnelly 1
Rhunhattan Tearoom | 2015 acrylic and decal collage on ceramics, ink on paper, terracotta infused with scents of colonial commerce
(dimensions variable) @aqsisabel (ig)
(dimensions variable)
ANDREW BINKLEY
beatriceglow.org
(b. 1979) HAWAI‘I | USA Stone Cloud | 2017 Urethane-coated nylon, ink, air
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Target Island | 2017 fiberglass-reinforced concrete
andrewbinkley.com
(1300 x 1300 x 200 mm
DREW BRODERICK
|51.18 x 51.18 x 7.87 in)
(b. 1988) HAWAI‘I | USA Billboard I. (The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness) | 2017 neon, vinyl (3.7 x 7.3 m | 12 x 24 ft drewbroderick.com
BRETT GRAHAM (b. 1967) NEW ZEALAND
(4.9 x 3.7 x 2.1 m | 16 x 12 x 7 ft)
1
BEATRICE GLOW (b. 1986) USA
CantChant | 2009 Three-channel video installation
5
SEAN CONNELLY (b. 1984) HAWAI‘I | USA
samaalshaibi.com
9
SHANGRI LA CENTER FOR ISLAMIC ARTS AND CULTURES
5
(9:00 duration)
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WARD VILLAGE (IBM BUILDING)
SAMA ALSHAIBI (b. 1973) PALESTINE, IRAQ | USA
bishopmuseum.org
KAILI CHUN
(b. 1962) HAWAI‘I | USA Veritas II | 2012—17 steel
A true sign of the times, the collective of Tokyo—based artists that form teamLab are using the digital world to redefine a medium. “The characteristics of digital technology allow artworks to express the capacity for change much more freely,” they said. “Viewers, in interaction with their environment, can instigate perpetual change in an art work. Through an interactive relationship between the viewers and the artwork, viewers become an intrinsic part of that artwork.”
KAKA‘AKO
3
180 N Vineyard Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96817
JANE CHANG MI
brettgraham.co.nz 1
MARQUES HANALEI MARZAN (b. 1979) HAWAI`I | USA ‘A‘ahu kino lau | 2017 textile installation, cordage, foliage dimensions variable (dimensions variable) marquesmarzan.com
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Stats 1 3 4
CHOI JEONG HWA
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(b. 1945) HAWAI‘I | USA
(3.5 x 8 m diameter | 11.5 x 26 ft diameter)
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The Nature of Nature | 2017 live performance
(b. 1967) AUSTRALIA
Breathing Flower | 2015 fabric, air blower (motor+timer), LED lamp
AL LAGUNERO
ALEXANDER LEE Te atua vahine mana ra o Pere (The Great Goddess Pere) L’Aube où les fauves viennent se désaltérer | 2017 multi-room installation, ceramic, ink on paper, acrylic on cotton, furniture
Korean artist Choi Jeong Hwa’s work defies categorization. It’s always impactful and often forces the viewer to stop in their tracks. By creating his installations from a variety of materials—ranging from used soda bottles to dishes purchased from the .99 cent store—Hwa creates art that plays into both the harmony and chaos of the urban environment. He has created a 10-story installation made from 1,000 discarded doors, and decorated Seoul’s Olympic Stadium with garlands made from 2 million pieces of trash. As his motto states, “My art is your heart.” 1
(dimensions variable)
1
(21:23 duration)
1
#lisareihana 1
The Corallinales (biogenerative painting) | 2009 coralline algae, marine organisms, glass, metal, wood, acrylic, electronics, seawater
LEE MINGWEI 100 Days with Lily (series) | 1995 / 2017 Silver dye bleach prints (ilfochrome)
(dimensions variable)
1
leemingwei.com
1
(dimensions variable)
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EKO NUGROHO
(dimensions variable) ekonugroho.or.id
(dimensions variable) charltonkupaahee.com
YAYOI KUSAMA 5 (b. 1929) JAPAN 3
up of a collective*
zhanwangart.com 5
LYNNE YAMAMOTO (b. 1961) ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN | USA
ORIGIN of 33 artists/groups total
Borrowed Time| 2017 wood (dimensions variable) lynneyamamoto.net
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KEN + JULIA YONETANI
From Hawai‘i: 34% From Elsewhere: 66%
(b. 1971, 1972) JAPAN | AUSTRALIA
Crystal Palace: The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nuclear Nations (series) | 2007 uranium glass, antique chandelier frames and electrical components, UV lights (174 x 174 x 248 cm | 69 x 69 x 98 in)
GENDER of 35 artists total*
kenandjuliayonetani.com/en
MICHELLE SCHWENGEL REGALA
Female: 43% Male: 57%
(b. 1971) HAWAI‘I | USA
(b. 1977) INDONESIA
Above the Wall Under the Rainbow, Free Air I luna o ka paia i lalo o ke anuenue, ke ea ku‘oko‘a | 2017 acrylic paint
*Excluding teamLab which is made
chrisritson.com
(5 pieces, 166.5 x 115 cm each | 65.6 x 45.3 in each)
CHRIS RITSON (b. 1985) HAWAI`I | USA
(b.1964) TAIWAN | USA
A Study of a Samoan Savage (from the series) | 2015 c-prints
yayoi-kusama.jp
(14:20 duration)
0-30: 6% 31-40: 20% 41-50: 46% 50+: 28%
| 55 x 72 x 71 in each)
LISA REIHANA Tai Whetuki – House of Death, Redux | 2016 two-channel ultra HD video, stereo sound
AGE of 35 artists total*
(140 x 184 x 180 cm each
(b. 1964) NEW ZEALAND
mickidavis.com
(b. 1975) SAMOA | NEW ZEALAND
(dimensions variable)
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MARIQUITA MICKI DAVIS Magellan Doesn't Live Here | 2012–2017 single-channel video with sound
SHIGEYUKI KIHARA
I am Here, but Nothing | 2004, 2000 / 2017 vinyl stickers, UV lights, furniture, household objects
Fiona Pardington has become one of New Zealand’s most treasured contemporary artists. For more than three decades, Pardington has been working in a variety of mediums examining worldly issues as well as social and environmental issues related to her native New Zealand. Her work has been featured in several important exhibits and is represented in the collections of Te Papa Museum of New Zealand and the Christchurch Art Gallery.
(b. 1982) GUAM | USA
@mohammedkazem.1
Pohue: Storied Gourds | 2016–2017 ceramic, paint, fiber
ZHAN WANG (b. 1962) CHINA Artificial Rock No. 133 | 2007 two pieces: stainless steel; stone
lesfilterfeeders.com
(dimensions variable)
CHARLTON KUPA’A HEE (b.1989) HAWAI‘I | USA
3
Local Knowledge (series) | 2017 archival inkjet print on Habotai silk, enamel paint, powdered pigment, epoxy resin on wood panel
EMIRATES
6
tautai.org/artist/john-vea 2
(b. 1971) & (b. 1969) HAWAI`I | USA
MOHAMMED KAZEM 9 (b. 1969) UNITED ARAB
5
(4:00 duration | dimensions variable)
fionapardington.blogspot.com
LES FILTER FEEDERS: SALLY LUNDBURG AND KEITH TALLET
7
#yukikihara
She sows this aina with her younger siblings, yet she cannot inherit that same aina | 2016-2017 single-channel video, rocks, corrugated board, found materials
(dimensions variable)
4
@kathyjkijiner
1
(b. 1985) TONGA | NEW ZEALAND
alexanderleestudio.com
Islands in a Basket | 2017 single-channel video with sound installation
Directions (Honolulu) | 2017 vinyl text, light
JOHN VEA
(dimensions variable)
KATHY JETÑIL KIJINER (b. 1987) MARSHALL ISLANDS | USA
1
Nabokov’s Blues: The Charmed Circle (from the series) | 2017 pigment inks on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag
(b. 1974) TAHITI | USA
choiJeonghwa.com
FIONA PARDINGTON (b. 1961) NEW ZEALAND
#allagunero 1
Water Column 1 | 2016–2017 wire (copper, aluminum) (0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9 m | 3 x 3 x 3 ft) schwengala.wordpress.com 1
GREG SEMU (b. 1971) SAMOA | NEW ZEALAND After Hans Holbein the Younger - The Body of the Dead Christ (diptych) | 2016 digital photographic prints on acrylic lightbox (40 x 180 cm each | 16 x 71 in each)
As a couple, Ken and Julia Yonetani personify the power that art can have on all of us. As Australians by way of Japan, both Ken and Julia left their established professional careers to focus on creating art in 2008 and have never looked back. Their collaborative work, which is primarily composed of heavily acclaimed interactive installations, seeks to connect people with their environment.
*Excluding teamLab which is made up of a collective*
VENUE of 36 installations shown
gregsemu.photography
As one of the most acclaimed Indonesian artists to come of age in the 2000s, Eko Nugroho’s work often depicts social and political criticism. Although he’s been influenced by street art and themes tied to modern urban living, Nugroho also incorporates traditional Indonesian elements back into much of his work.
The Hub at Ward Village: 54% Honolulu Museum of Art: 3% Ward Village (IBM Building): 8% Honolulu Hale: 5% Foster Botanical Garden: 12% Bernice Pauahi | Bishop Museum: 7% The Arts At Marks Garage: 3% Hawai‘i Prince Hotel Waikiki: 3% Shangri La: 5%
Children and parents gather together to examine and interact with In-Flight (2009). Photos: Courtesy HBF
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Together The Worldly Art of Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan Text by Beau Flemister
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As a couple, the Aquilizans have traversed the world, creating art out of their unique experiences.
They say that it’s the settling down that bonds a couple. It’s the staying put that builds a family. But perhaps it’s the upheaval. That transitory, traveling, dynamic space — as opposed to the stasis — that can also really shape a home. Or perhaps that very movement just makes great art.
Here, There, Everywhere: Project Another Country (2016)
integrates themselves into what we call a rootless land or diaspora, identity is inconstant and changeable and its construction becomes a continuous process of negotiation. So, within these conditions, the need to reconnect, that urge to come back, drives us to create new projects back home where family, memory, nostalgia, language, and that struggle to adapt all form and become a part of our visual vocabulary.” But let’s back it up a bit. Alfredo met Isabel we they were very young in the Philipines, as their families lived in the same neighborhood. Both becoming artists, they grew up and went on to teach at the Philippine High School for the Arts (founded by Imelda Marcos during the 1970s) in Los Banos Laguna, Philippines. The school was part of the National Art Center, an institution at the foot of a dormant volcano. Isabel ran the Theatre Arts Program while Alfredo ran the school’s Visual Arts Program. It was there where they found their shared love for honing young, creative, brilliant minds.
“Through this, we had the chance to collaborate and have our classes join together to create projects that would further develop, push, trigger, and explore interdisciplinary practices and examine the idea of Regardless, for much of their lives, Isabel and Alfredo co-creation,” says Isabel. “Our practice expanded Aquilizan have been on the move. And accordingly, you outside the classroom and found its way for us to work can see it in their work. The longing, the displacement, with communities, creating and translating the narrative the nostalgia, the fragments of their new and old of our daily experiences and that of other people. This worlds; the utter weight and cubic volume of their literal was how our work became so collaborative, interactive baggage. Like in their fascinating Project Be-Longing: In and relational.” Transit, 2006, an installation of the Aquilizans' personal belongings arranged in cubic formations. Over the years, Isabel and Alfredo have been commissioned by more than a dozen biennials and It was this very installation that also blurred the lines triennials. From Singapore to Moscow, the Netherlands between Alfredo and Isabel’s actual life and art, and to U.A.E., Japan to Italy, every year it’s somewhere new quite intentionally. In 2006, while the two artists and and totally foreign from the last. But as varied as their their five children had been considering a move from destinations, is their artwork’s stunningly diverse and the Philippines to Australia, they were invited to partake original mediums. in the Sydney Biennial. They decided to relocate that very year and turned this migration into their work. For instance, with their sculpture, Wings, 2009, They gave each of their children a traditional Filipino they collected hundreds of rubber slippers from a balikbayan box and told them to place what they correctional facility in Singapore to create humanwanted to bring with them the most into each box. This scaled pairs of angel wings. In Dream Blanket, became In Transit, which then grew into Project Another 2002/2006, they arranged hundreds of folded Country: Address, 2008, an installation of 140 cubes blankets — under which people had actually dreamed (arranged in a cube) of peoples’ belongings. — and placed them in open-fronted cabinets. A hidden sound system echoed the dreamers describing their “Migration has always played a central issue in most of dreams. our works,” says Isabel. “When we decided to leave the Philippines and migrate permanently in 2006, In Habit: Project Another Country, 2012, displayed we had become a part of a community of migrants fishing boats hung upside down from the ceiling with who choose to live outside their homelands and seek cardboard shantytowns sprawling out of them like a better opportunity and chance. As one painfully inverted sky rises all the way down to the floor.
Wings (2009)
Close up of In-flight. (2009)
Gericault, ‘LADE’ : Project Another Country (2014)
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“ When we decided to leave the Philippines and migrate permanently in 2006, we had become a part of a community of migrants who choose to live outside their homelands and seek a better opportunity and chance.” Belok Kiri Jalan Teru ‘Devices’: Project Another Country (2015)
“By using ordinary everyday objects and materials to create our work, it’s a strategy we use for the audience to engage,” says Isabel. “Through this involvement in the actual creation, I think it helps to demystify what art is.” Like a lot of their work, In Habit: Project Another Country, however, was inspired by another type of migratory people. The disenfranchised Badjao people of southwestern Philippines live in flimsy houses that float on the sea. The Badjao often face discrimination for their religion and nomadic lifestyle and it is social issues like these that Alfredo and Isabel bring to life within their art. “We always take our personal experiences as a point of reference in every project that we create,” says Alfredo. “Home, family, dislocation, identity, adaptation, memory — these are critical issues that always surface in our collaborative practice.” Fast-forward to today and the two artists will be featured in the inaugural Honolulu Biennial, which will also be the couple’s inaugural visit to Hawai‘i. Considering the Biennial’s concept Middle of Now | Here, focusing on artists from cultures all over the Pacific — with a huge emphasis on sense of place — the theme seems tailor-made for Alfredo and Isabel.
“Most of our work looks into the idea of diaspora and the patterns of migration,” says Isabel of their featured art in the Honolulu Biennial. “These are the concerns that we are really interested in, and—I think—share with the community here in Hawai‘i. “But our work is grounded on the idea of engagements. First is the engagement with the site, the community and the materials and how these inform and create the meaning of the work. The second is the engagement with the curatorial brief of the exhibition, and how the concept is being generated within that framework. The third is the engagement with the space and how it dictates the form and context of the work. And lastly, the engagement with the audience, instigating participation in the creation of the meaning of the work.” Indeed, if that sort of audience participation means getting to join the Aquilizans on one of their many journeys through their work, it will be exciting to see what they’ve come up with. You might even want to have your passport handy.
Project Another Country: Passage (2010)
Project Another Country: Address (2008)
In-Habit: Project Another Country: (2009)
Bismuth sculpture (2014)
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Back to Nature Chris Ritson Discusses His Growing Body of Work Text by Beau Flemister
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f you were to walk by Chris Ritson’s art, without a doubt, you would do a double take. It has that effect on you. His crystalline creations make you question what you’re looking at. His paper sculptures make you wonder what is real. Raised in Kailua, but now living on Mt. Tantalus, it’s no surprise that his new work—exhibited in the inaugural Honolulu Biennial—is a living organism that reacts and grows in our islands’ natural environment. A featured artist representing Hawai‘i, Ritson tells us about his fascination with generative art and the role Honolulu is playing among artists in the Pacific, and beyond.
far as meaning, they’re really about media and the representation of the natural facets of the body: the flesh and hair. Since moving back to Hawai‘i, I did an animation/sculpture for the Honolulu Museum that was sourced completely from free tourist magazines distributed every few blocks along Waikiki, and another one that was commissioned—all built from real estate ad headshots.
TELL ME ABOUT THE WORK YOU’RE SHOWCASING IN THE BIENNIAL.
I think I’ve always been concerned with how we understand and relate to the idea or reality of nature. This core value was influenced by my connection to the islands, and a reverence for natural processes that is unique to Hawai‘i. I believe the challenges humanity is facing, both in our society and environment, stem from an undeveloped relationship with nature. So, my art is meant to stir the viewer to reconsider or explore this relationship.
There will be two works. The first is Corallines, (biogenerative painting) which is an installation of an aquaculture system designed to grow Coralline Algae on two dimensional panels, which can also be removed and dried to produce archival artworks. The second set, Ganoderma (biogenerative painting) is an edition of “paintings” grown from mushroom mycelia on sawdust. THAT’S INCREDIBLE. HOW DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR STYLE, AND WHERE DOES YOUR INSPIRATION COME FROM? Generative art is a facet of post modernism, and is usually applied to question the role of the artist/ author in relation to the subject. I was very inspired by Deuchamp, Beuys, Metzger, and Kak as early progenitors of this sort of work. Now, cross-species collaboration, generative, and bio art is a relatively established genre, with many artists and designers blurring the boundaries. Generally, I use this to explore how we relate to nature. INTERESTING. SOME OF YOUR WORK WITH THE CRYSTALLIZATIONS LOOKS LIKE IT TAKES SOME UNDERSTANDING OF CHEMISTRY OR BIOLOGY…WHAT’S YOUR CONNECTION TO THAT? I was on a path studying bio/tech and worked with aquaculture on a shrimp farm briefly. My family was very involved in the sciences and my entire life I have been equally interested in both art and science as ways of understanding. YOUR OTHER MEDIUMS ARE ALSO VERY UNIQUE, SPECIFICALLY, YOUR WORK WITH PAPER. TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE PROCESS, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THOSE CREATIONS WOULD TAKE A VERY LONG TIME. While I’m not doing any paper for the biennial, it’s really labor intensive for sure. I got into it when I was working at a video rental store in San Francisco. We had piles of posters and media from the movies, so I started saving them instead of throwing it out. As
WOW. WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOUR WORK HAS MUCH CONNECTION OR ROOTS IN HAWAI‘I?
Ritson, at home in Hawai‘i. Photo: Feducia
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ART SCENE IN HONOLULU LATELY? This is a tremendously exciting time for Hawai‘i. I believe we are on the cusp of becoming one of the next art capitals of the world, and will provide perspectives of extremely relevant and underrepresented voices of the Pacific and its rim. I think that’s a result of the rapidly developing city of Honolulu, changing tourist demographic, and involvement of organizations like the Honolulu Biennial's outreach beyond the islands. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE YOUR WORK FEATURED IN THE BIENNIAL?
Reptilians do not Dream (2009)
The honor is humbling. To show alongside such talented people and receive guidance and exchange dialogue with the organizers and curators is an invaluable experience. To represent Hawai‘i to the world is an ambition I am grateful to fulfill, and hope to contribute to the future recognition and success of other artists working in the region. ANY NEW MEDIUM YOU’RE THINKING OF TRYING IN THE FUTURE? I would really like to expand the Corralline project from the Biennial into a larger outdoor open system. This installation was more of an experiment to establish the parameters to grow this organism, and now it should be ready for a second stage, in which works can be grown much larger and faster, with positive impact to the reef. Otherwise, my new stuff must be able to: manifest its own composition, do so with positive impact to the environment, and leave an artifact that can be indefinitely preserved as a document of the artwork (which really is my relationship/collaboration with the organism). Ritual for the Unborn (2013)
Images Courtesy of VSCO Artist Initiative™
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In the Light A Chris Rohrer Photo Essay Text by Jeff Mull Captions by Chris Rohrer This image felt like a nice urban landscape to me. The puddle in the front really seemed to capture my eye. It sounds a little funny, but it felt like an urban Ansel Adams type of a shot.
I actually shot this photo in front of the new tower, Waiea. I like the contrast here, both with the light and what’s displayed in the image. The leaf and the metal bike rack seem to make an interesting juxtaposition.
Photo: John Hook
This was a pretty interesting shot. Obviously, the way the pipe bends is pretty unique and it’s pretty jarring seeing it against the field. But then I saw a guy in the background making his way through the frame. So I waited for him to line up with the pipe before taking the shot.
To me, this image feels unique and abstract. I like that it’s open for interpretation. I was cruising in the park, watching the light and how it moved when I took this photo. I really like how the little weeds in the foreground look like mini palm trees.
I took this photo at Kewalo Harbor. There are some really interesting shapes and angles there. I loved shooting at the harbor. Locals, tourists, surfers, fisherman, everyone’s there. It felt like a microcosm of Honolulu.
This was an interesting image to me. You have these massive roots standing over these rocks, right in the middle of an urban hub. I shot this at Waiea and it felt like you had the confluence of all these elements coming together in one place.
In addition to sculptors, painters, and mixed media artists, Honolulu is also home to a thriving community of creative photographers. At the forefront of this talented lot, you’ll find Chris Rohrer. As easy-going and friendly as they come, Rohrer’s been infatuated with photography for years, and has developed an innate ability to tell stories and capture emotions through the photos he takes. For this project, we tasked Rohrer to wander through the streets of Ward Village and beyond, searching for moments and scenes that spoke to him.
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HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PHOTOGRAPHER?
WHAT IS IT ABOUT SHOOTING FILM THAT YOU LIKE?
WHAT MAKE A GOOD PHOTO IN YOUR EYES?
I actually used to want to be a detective, but I never felt tough enough to be in law enforcement. I took up photography at the University of Hawai‘i. For me, photography feels like you’re always searching for something. Seeking out a new perspective. It's this deep looking that really inspires me.
For me, it’s not necessarily about shooting film or digital. It’s about the camera. I shot these photos with a Rolleiflex. I love the nostalgia of it and I love looking down through the glass to set the shot. It feels very natural. This camera is more than 50 years old and it still works great and it doesn't really depreciate in value.
My work is meant to be subtle. I try not to hit people over the head with a message, but hopefully my photos speak to people and they can find elements in there that tell a story. Of course, there’s good composition and everything, but to me a great photo should tell a story and make you think more than anything.
There’s a lot going on in this shot. It feels really nostalgic to me, looking out towards Diamond Head from Point Panic and Kewalo Harbor. That tree reminded me of a banzai tree. And then you had this musician, who was playing a guitar the whole time, just checking out Diamond Head and strumming away. I wonder how many other musicians have done the same thing over the years? There’s a lot of emotion in this photo.
Nobu continues to redefine the "culinary art."
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The Creative Palette Nobu Takes an Artistic Approach to Dining Text & Images by Megan Tomino
W
alk through a museum and digest the work of masters carefully hung upon white walls. Low velvet ropes quietly remind you to keep your distance. Beautiful sculptures are guarded by thick pieces of glass. With most forms of art, you’re resigned to be a mere observer, a part of the audience. You’re presented with an artist’s work and expected to absorb and interpret its meaning from afar. Not so in the culinary world. Here, the medium is food and the artist’s palette is geared toward all of your senses. Step into a restaurant like Nobu, and you become a part of the performance as it unfolds. Here, the chef walks you through his art form and tells you a story with each and every bite you take.
and culinary know-how. Whimsical, delicious, and beautiful, it’s no easy task to execute this type of cuisine with the precision and attention to detail that has made Nobu an institution. To create this kind of experience, the restaurant needs someone at the helm with a detailed mastery of his craft, someone with both a finely tuned creative and culinary palette. Enter Chef Matt Raso, a 12-year veteran of the Nobu family and an artist in his own right. As the kingpin at Nobu Ward Village, Chef Matt is responsible for upholding the creative dining experience and sterling reputation of the Nobu name. And in his kitchen, much like at an artist’s studio, the creative process needed to build a menu and create a new dish requires an innate knowledge of your medium, a willingness to take a chance, and a whole lot of creativity.
For decades, acclaimed Japanese chef and restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa has tirelessly worked to transform the way the we dine. With more than 30 restaurants stretched across the globe—including his latest venture right here at Ward Village—Nobu has created an experience for his patrons that’s equal parts art, planning,
At Nobu, each dish is a work of art, where the ingredients serve as the focal point. Take, for instance, fresh amaebi or local shrimp. What do you taste? Subtle sweetness and brine from the ocean. What might pair well with these flavors? Ideas on complimentary notes pop-up and the
Chef Matt Raso, at home in his kitchen / studio.
Eat your art out.
experimentation begins. Some ideas are discarded; others make the final cut. Art is made. Once a dish’s flavor profile is complete, the chef turns his creativity toward plating the dish, always cognizant that his work must live up to the Nobu reputation. Here, design and function must work cohesively to both impress and invite the diner to take a bite. A large round dish etched with cherry blossoms cradles a delicate presentation of tai sashimi. Conscious of marrying flavors with complimentary colors, the fish is topped with bright pink segments of grapefruit, a sliver of deep green jalapeño and a dusting of miso salt. Every person who orders from Chef Matt’s menu at Nobu has a different experience, but the goal is the same: to make an impression on the diners, whether they be gourmet or casual eaters, and leave them wanting more. While he doesn’t necessarily wield a brush, there’s no denying that Chef Matt and the other chefs across the Nobu family are all artists in their own right, and that’s a deliciously beautiful thing.
#WEAREWARD A collection of village moments
Ward Village regulars Jenn and Kingston share some love after a day spent in the pet-friendly village. @X3JENN08
Ala Moana Beach Park, awash in a sea of color at sunset.
Throughout the village, the familiar cadence of drumming fills the air, setting the soundtrack for the day. Upon closer inspection, it's clear these aren't just any drummers. These are the taiko drummers from the Kendo Music and Taiko Center of the Pacific. "This was a special day and we had a blast doing this performance at Ward Village," says the group's leader, Chizuko Endo."The kids loved it!"
The crew at Piggy Smalls is redefining the way Honolulu eats. Who would've thought that rasberry salt cured ahi with melon and prosciutto would make for such a perfect dish? They would.
@WVSHOPS @PIGGYSMALLSHAWAII
Ward Village Community Calendar KAKA’AKO FARMERS’ MARKET EVERY SATURDAY FROM 8 AM TO 12 PM WARD WAREHOUSE Local farmers, merchants, and food vendors gather to sell fresh fruits, vegetables, and an array of other delicious items at the Kaka‘ako Farmers’ Market. Admission is free and ample parking is available throughout Ward Village.
SUNDAY SESSIONS WARD WAREHOUSE AMPHITHEATER STAGE EVERY SUNDAY AT 1 PM Performances by hula halau, hip hop dance groups, choirs and taiko. This event is free and open to the public. Check out the calendar listing at WardVillage. com/Events.
SPEND & GET WARD VILLAGE MARCH 1 THROUGH MARCH 31 2017 Spend $250 or more, from March 1 through March 31, and receive two complimentary movie tickets and free valet, tip inclusive. For further details, please go to Wardvillage.com/events/spend-get
COURTYARD YOGA EVERY THURSDAY FROM 5:30 TO 6:30 PM IBM BUILDING COURTYARD Held in partnership with CorePower Yoga, we're offering free yoga classes to the first 50 participants. Classes often fill up quick.
FREE COUNTRY LINE DANCE CLASSES WARD WAREHOUSE AMPHITHEATER STAGE EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT AT 6 PM Kick the dust off your dancing boots and get ready for an evening of free country line dancing, hosted by O‘ahu Line Dancers. Staying active, having fun, and learning a new step never felt so good.
THE HONOLULU BIENNIAL SAVINGS PASS WARD VILLAGE MARCH 8 THROUGH MAY 8, 2017 Receive an exclusive savings pass with admission to The Hub, valid March 8 through May 8, 2017. Receive 25 percent off one item at TheFaceShop, Big Bad Wolf, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Holoholo Market, Big Island Delights, Salvage Public, REAL a gastropub and much more.
COURTYARD CINEMA IBM BUILDING COURTYARD SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH Courtyard Cinema, a free movie showing at the IBM Building, is presented in partnership with the Hawai’i International Film Festival (HIFF) and Consolidated Theatres. Guests are treated to complimentary popcorn, food vendors, and activities celebrating the theme of the film. (Admission is free but tickets must be reserved online.) Please go to WardVillageShops.com/events to learn more.
FREE HULA LESSONS WARD WAREHOUSE AMPHITHEATER STAGE EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT AT 5 PM Learn the art of hula every Thursday. Beginner’s classes start at 5 pm and go until 6 pm while intermediate and advanced classes run from 6 to 7 pm.
ANNUAL ANTHURIUM PLANT SHOW & SALE WARD WAREHOUSE FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 10 AM TO 8 PM SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 10 AM TO 4 PM Beautiful anthuriums, both on display and for sale, haku, lei, orchids, and more will be available for the public at Ward Warehouse beginning on Friday April 14 and continue on Saturday April 15.
NEW WAVE FRIDAYS: A SOUTH SHORE SOCIAL SOUTH SHORE MARKET SECOND FRIDAY OF THE MONTH, STARTING APRIL 14, 5 PM TO 9 PM. Entertainment, craft beers, merchant activations, good times and so much more will be on tap at South Shore Market on the second Friday of every month beginning on April 14.
@wardvillage
808.591.8411 | wardvillage.com
—a hui hou—
@SACHIKOREALTORHAWAII