Honolulu’s best kept secret is the Museum of Modern Art – an $11.00 Uber fare from Waikiki! So when the salt, sand, humidity and heat on the beach get too much, grab a cab to one of the best art galleries I’ve visited in ages – air con makes it a pleasant escape from the humidity too. There is a cafe and excellent restaurant; calm amongst the chaos. Photo: Courtyard Honolulu Museum of Modern Art.
Contemporary art through to 13th century art; Monet, yes of course water lilies, but not a work I had seen before! Pissarro , Renoir, Whistler, Gauguin, Alex Katz and Alice Neel. A Ming Dynasty bowl caught my eye too –
Below: Alice Neel portrait.
The Mediterranean Courtyard with its simple designs is a delight it has a slight Japanese feel to it and is a tranquil corner to sit and contemplate life.
The restaurant is overshadowed by a huge mural and four magic genie jars by Jun Kaneko an American born Japanese artist. (I did have a delicious sandwich) too)
The most exciting exhibit for me was the video which seemed to run continuously by the Americas born Pakistani artist Shazia Sikander titled Parrallax.
Shahzia Sikander was born in 1969 in Lahore, Pakistan. Educated as an undergraduate at the National College of Arts in Lahore, she received her MFA in 1995 from the Rhode Island School of Design. She is 38 and a Muslim; Shahzia has exhibited all over the globe at top galleries – this video installation is on until late July 30th – try and see it – 15 minutes on the 45 foot wide screen it is the best $20.00 I’ve spent in a long time.
These are just a few seconds of the incredible art of Shazia Sikander.
From this gallery they run a free shuttle to the Spalding House home of the Gallery Founder. Spalding House, also known as the Cooke-Spalding House and called Nuumealani (heavenly terrace) by Mrs. Cooke, together with its gardens constitute a 3½ acre campus of the Honolulu Museum of Art located in Makiki Heights, on the island of O’ahu.
From this gallery they run a free shuttle several times daily to the Spalding House home of the Gallery Founder. Spalding House, also known as the Cooke-Spalding House and called Nuumealani (heavenly terrace) by Mrs. Cooke, together with its gardens constitute a 3½ acre campus of the Honolulu Museum of Art located in Makiki Heights, on the island of O’ahu. The collection although small is significant with some intriguing sculptures in the beautiful garden setting including a Henry Moore..
A beautiful very large head by Jun Kaneko commands attention at the front entrance. The Three Sisters, a wonderful screen by Yamakawa Shuho 1336 intrigued me; as did a Gold ornate Belt from India (19th Century). When Mrs Cooke lived here you could see the beach in the distance, now days a row of high-rise blocks that view.
Below: Three Sisters screen
Honolulu has many majestic old trees and this garden is no exception. The gallery encourages art and runs school holiday art sessions. The building was designed by New York Architect Bertram Goodhue mixing Chinese and Mediterranean architecture. He put a pitched roof to fit in with other Hawaiian styles and in so doing created a new Hawaiian style of building design. I know many New Zealanders holiday in Hawaii during our winter. I rate this as a must do place to visit if you are staying in Waikiki. Enjoy.
Hours Museum : Tuesday to Saturday 10 am am – 4-30pm pm – Sunday Noon – 5pm
Hours Spalding House: Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 4pm – Sunday Noon – 4pm
KIWIGRAN - my escapades, my images, my thoughts :) 