A phrase coined by scholar and cultural pracitioner Epeli Hauʻofa, “our sea of islands” is an oft-quoted reference to a redirection in the perspectives of the islands of the Pacific. Rather than considering these islands as an exotic other, Hauʻofa challenged the world to see the Pacific region as a metropolis for engagement of all kinds. We consider the exhibit, Our Sea of Islands, to be one that uses engagement as the cornerstone not only for the resulting presentation of artworks but also for the very foundation of those pieces or performances from conception to fabrication to manifestation. Curated by Dr. C. Makanani Salā and Alyssa Chau of Gravitas Pasifika.

PILINA: My Relationships are My Heritage and Wealth, Festival of the Pacific Arts and Culture 50th Anniversary Exhibition will highlight the history of the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture. Curated by the Dr. Frances Koya Vaka‘uta and Alyssa Chau.

ʻAi ā manō brings together artworks in a variety of mediums by an intergenerational group of Native Hawaiian contemporary artists and culture bearers, selected from the Art in Public Places (APP) Collection of the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA). Co-curated by Native Hawaiian artists and educators, Drew Kahuʻāina Broderick, Kapulani Landgraf, and Kaili Chun, ‘Ai ā manō continues the important work begun by this curatorial team during the making of Mai hoʻohuli i ka lima i luna (2020), the first group exhibition of Native Hawaiian contemporary art from the APP Collection to be presented at Capitol Modern (formerly the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum) since its opening in 2002.

As such, ‘Ai ā manō will reflect on the significant strides that have been made by SFCA over the past three years, with support from multiple arts communities of Hawaiʻi, to address the lack of representation of Native Hawaiian artists and artworks within the APP Collection through increased acquisitions, commissions, exhibitions, and public programming. Presented alongside the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC), taking place on Oʻahu from June 6 to 16, 2024, the exhibition also acknowledges the vital role that Native Hawaiian contemporary art plays in the health and wellbeing of Hawaiʻi and Moananui at large.

Nā Akua Ākea: The Vast and Numerous Deities highlights the artistic and weaving endeavors of practitioners Kumulā‘au and Haunani Balino-Sing along with their students. Focused on revitalizing ulana ʻieʻie, the traditional Hawaiian twined basketry, this contemporary exhibition blends ancestral images, demigods, goddesses, shapeshifters, and ʻaumakua. The unique showcase offers a captivating visual and spiritual experience, complemented by contributions from guest artisans using both traditional and contemporary mediums. Curated by Lloyd Kumuāʻau Sing and May Haunani Balino-Sing, sponsored by The National Organization for Traditional Artists Exchange (NOTAE).

Hula Kiʻi is a form of ancient hula not widely known and practiced, but it has been preserved and perpetuated by select hula lines across the islands. For the first time, a dedicated Hula Kiʻi exhibit will be featured at Capitol Modern, curated by the non-profit, Hula Preservation Society, in collaboration with kiʻi masters on the islands of Kauaʻi, Maui, Oʻahu, and Hawaiʻi. These same masters and their students will join forces during the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in an historic gathering of kiʻi practitioners.

This installation aims to merge 3D printing and digital sculpting, emphasizing the cultural identity of Ki‘i from the past into the future. It serves as a unique opportunity to share the artistic potential of emerging technologies with a wide audience, showcasing the values embedded in traditional Ki‘i forms in Hawai‘i. In partnership with the Friends of the Hawai‘i State Art Museum, Ki‘i Mua – Future Forms is a public performance installation in the POD (Passion on Display) gallery, building on the previous exhibitions by Honolulu Theatre for Youth and theater artist Solomon Enos.