Hawaiian Art with Western Influences

Hawaiian art today retains a great deal of traditional Hawaiian influence while also incorporating western styles and themes.

Learning Objective

Explain how Western influences manifest in Hawaiian art

Key Points

The art created in these islands can be divided into traditional Hawaiian art; art produced by recently arrived westerners; and art produced by Hawaiians incorporating western materials and ideas.
A great deal of artwork produced by indigenous Hawaiians, as well as Hawaii's native-born and long-term residents, now incorporates western materials and ideas, including paintings on canvas and quilts.
Many Hawaiian artists remain distinctly Hawaiian in subject matter, while others range among widely diverse styles.
In 1967, Hawaii became the first state in the nation to implement a "Percent for Art" law, in which 1% of the construction costs of new public schools and state buildings is designated for the acquisition of works of art, either by commission or by purchase.

Terms

Hula
A form of chant and dance which was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there.
Captain James Cook
A British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the Royal Navy who made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, during which he achieved the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, and the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand.

Full Text

Overview of Hawaiian Art

The Hawaiian archipelago consists of 137 islands in the Pacific Ocean that are far from any other land. Polynesians arrived there 1,000-2,000 years ago, and in 1778 Captain James Cook and his crew became the first Europeans to visit Hawaii. The art created in these islands can be divided into traditional Hawaiian art; art produced by recently arrived westerners; and art produced by Hawaiians incorporating western materials and ideas.

Western Influence on Hawaiian Art

The arrival of westerners to Hawaii, and the subsequent formation of Hawaii into a state of the U.S., has greatly impacted the art of native Hawaiians. A great deal of artwork produced by indigenous Hawaiians, as well as Hawaii's native-born and long-term residents, now incorporates western materials and ideas, including paintings on canvas and quilts. Many Hawaiian artists remain distinctly Hawaiian in subject matter, while others range among widely diverse styles. Most of the art currently produced in Hawaii integrates a melding of traditional Hawaiian and western influence. Notable artists include sculptor Satoru Abe (born Hawaii 1926-), sculptor Bumpei Akaji (born Hawaii 1921-2002), sculptor Marguerite Louis Blasingame (born Hawaii 1906-1947), ceramicist Sally Fletcher-Murchison (born Hawaii 1933-), Joseph Nawahi (born Hawaii 1842-1896), Reuben Tam (born Hawaii 1916-1991), Isami Doi (born Hawaii 1903-1965), and others.

Stone bas-relief of fallen male nude by Marguerite Louis Blasingame

Sculptor Marguerite Louis Blasingame is one of the many 19th century artists who incorporates both Hawaiian and western themes in her art.

Hawaiian Art Today

In 1967, Hawaii became the first state in the nation to implement a "Percent for Art" law. The Art in State Buildings Law established the Art in Public Places Program and designated one percent of the construction costs of new public schools and state buildings for the acquisition of works of art, either by commission or by purchase. Public collections of Hawaiian art may be found at the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Bishop Museum (also in Honolulu), the Hawaii State Art Museum, and the Georg-August University of Göttingen in Germany.

Hawaii is also home to numerous cultural events that illustrate the rich traditions of the island pre-European influence. The annual Merrie Monarch Festival is an international Hula competition, and the state is home to the Hawaii International Film Festival, the premier film festival for Pacific rim cinema. Honolulu is also home to the state's long running GLBT film festival, the Rainbow Film Festival.

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