During his reign, King Kalākaua fought for the survival of his island country as a savvy early adopter of emerging technologies and design—and the strategic use of art. Honolulu Museum of Art presents Ho‘oulu Hawai‘i: The King Kalākaua Era, an exploration of how a forward-looking nation created a cosmopolitan identity that took its place on the world stage, from Sept. 13, 2018 to Jan. 27, 2019.
This is the first exhibition to describe a seminal period in Hawai‘i’s history—1874 to 1891—when Hawaiian art and culture, philosophy and practice were promoted through innovative means, ultimately to present a national identity to a global audience.
Artistic examples featured in the exhibition explore how both Hawaiian and foreign art traditions were reshaped in a local context and then deployed in the projection of a national identity. The exhibition prompts conversations about issues of adaptability, economy, ceremony, and more importantly, questions underlying perceptions about Hawaiʻi’s place in the world. Sections within the exhibition will include but are not limited to travel and technology through Kalākaua’s scrapbooks, photography, and early Kingdom telephones; hula, music, and fashion through period ʻukulele, and textiles; and international diplomacy through government-commissioned garments and paintings, royal orders, and diplomatic gifts.
A fully illustrated, scholarly catalogue authored by Ms. Healoha Johnston—the museum's first Native Hawaiian curator—and other experts in the field is in production to accompany the exhibition, along with a full slate of public and community programs.
Giveaway:
One lucky winner will receive 2 adult admissions (children 18 and under are free) to the Honolulu Museum of Art to view Ho`oulu Hawaii: The King Kalakaua Era, and a $50 gift card to the Honolulu Museum of Art Cafe.
Click here to enter.
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