Connecting Hawaiʻi and the Pacific through contemporary art
Installation view: Cory Kamehanaokalā Holt Taum, Laukanaka (detail), 2019, The Hub at Ward Centre, Honolulu Biennial 2019. Photo: Christopher Rohrer.
mission
Inspired by the unique histories of Hawai‘i as a gathering place for diverse peoples, cultures, and ideas, Hawai‘i Contemporary connects communities from across our islands and the regions united by the Pacific Ocean through contemporary art. As a collaborative partner, we organize the Hawai‘i Triennial every three years, the state’s largest, thematic exhibition of contemporary art from Hawai‘i, the Pacific, and beyond. The multi-site exhibition has commissioned and presented work by 169 artists and art collectives from our Islands and around the world. Complemented by year-round public programming, Hawai‘i Triennial affirms the organization’s mission to positively contribute to a vibrant arts ecosystem in Hawai‘i and inspire meaningful exchanges around the visual arts.
history
Founded by KJ Baysa and Isabella Ellaheh Hughes in 2015 as a dedicated contemporary art platform in Hawai‘i, Honolulu Biennial Foundation debuted the inaugural Honolulu Biennial in 2017. The exhibition proved a great success, and it, along with a successive Honolulu Biennial in 2019, welcomed a combined 200,000 guests from Hawai‘i, the US, and abroad. In 2020, we announced the transformation of our signature event into a triennial format (Hawai‘i Triennial), and the organization was renamed Hawai‘i Contemporary to better reflect our aspiration to include all Hawaiian Islands in our activities. We have since presented Hawai‘i Triennial 2022, which featured 43 artists and art collectives and welcomed more than 100,000 visitors, and we currently offer year-round, free programming to the public, including the Professional Development Program for Artists.
Since our inception, Hawaiʻi Contemporary has instilled the values of collaboration and inclusivity into our guiding mission. We aim to cultivate a diverse network of cultural alliances and mutually reciprocal partnerships to create a resilient and accessible gateway for contemporary art in Hawai‘i nei.
Hawai‘i Contemporary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization based in Honolulu, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i.
Installation view: Kapwani Kiwanga, Vestibule, 2025, Hawai‘i Triennial 2025, Bishop Museum, Honolulu. Courtesy of the artist and Hawai‘i Contemporary. © ADAGP. Photo: Duarte Studios.
Signature EVENTS
HAWAI‘I TRIENNIAL
once every three years
next iteration: 2028
A curated, thematic, and international exhibition of contemporary art presented across multiple sites throughout Hawai‘i
ART SUMMIT
once every three years
next iteration: 2027
A thematic precursor to the Hawai‘i Triennial that brings together artists, curators, and thinkers from Hawai‘i and the Pacific for dialogues around contemporary art and ideas
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
year round
A series of free public programs (like Art in Conversation and Professional Development Program for Artists) focused on expanding the thinking around contemporary art practices
Installation view: Bernice Akamine, Kalo, 2016–, Ali‘iōlani Hale, Honolulu Biennial 2019. Photo: Christopher Rohrer.
Meet the Team
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Patricia Chang Moad, Chair
Chloe Seto Hartwell, vice chair
Jason Lazzerini, treasurer
Ben Dookchitra, Secretary
Piia Aarma
Kristen Chan
Paul Friedman
Kaʻiulani Sodaro
ADVISORS
mona abadir, board president, Emeritus
Fumio Nanjo, Artistic Director, Emeritus
nina tonga, Artistic Director, Emeritus
larissa kolesnikova, global advisor
heather shimizu, global advisor
may xue, global advisor
Hawai‘i Triennial 2022, ‘Iolani Palace. Photo: Brandyn Liu.