Hawaiian Art
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hawaiian archipelago consists of more than a hundred islands in the Pacific Ocean that are far from any other land. Polynesians arrived there one to two thousand years ago, and in 1778 Captain James Cook and his crew became the first westerners to visit Hawaii (which they called the Sandwich Islands). The art created in these islands may be divided into three categories: I. Art existing prior to Cook’s arrival, II. Art produced by recently arrived westerners, and III. Art produced by Hawaiians incorporating western materials and ideas. Outstanding public collections of Hawaiian art may be found at the Honolulu Academy of Arts and at the Bishop Museum.
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[edit] Art Existing Prior to Cook’s Arrival
Art existing prior to Cook’s arrival is the true native art. It is very similar to the art of other Pacific Islanders. This art includes wood carvings, feather work, petroglyphs, barkcloths (called kapa) and tattoos. The native Hawaiians had neither metal nor woven cloth. The production of this art continued after Cook’s arrival. A few craftsmen are still producing traditional Hawaiian arts, either to sell to tourists or in an attempt to preserve native Hawaiian culture.
[edit] Art Produced by Recently Arrived Westerners
Some of the first westerners to arrive in Hawaii were artists—either professional or amateur. Many of the explorers’ ships had professional artists to record their discoveries. These Western-trained artists sketched and painted Hawaii’s people and landscapes using imported materials and concepts. Artists in this category include Louis Choris (German-Ukrainian 1795-1828), Georgia O'Keeffe (American 1887-1986), Robert Dampier (English 1800-1874), Isami Doi (American 1903-1965), Shirley Ximena Hopper Russell (American 1886-1985), Jules Tavernier (French 1844-1889), Hubert Vos (Dutch 1855-1935), Lionel Walden (American 1861-1933) and Theodore Wores (American 1859-1939). Night scenes of erupting volcanoes were especially popular giving rise to “The Volcano School”.
[edit] Art Produced by Hawaiians Incorporating Western Materials and Ideas
Artworks produced by Hawaiians incorporating western materials and ideas include paintings on canvas and quilts. They may be distinctly Hawaiian in subject matter or may be indistinguishable from art produced anywhere else in the world. Most of the art currently produced in Hawaii falls into this third category.
