Critic's Choice

Mini-reviews of current exhibits, by Advertiser art critic Virginia Wageman

• Biennial of Hawai'i Artists (Contemporary Museum, through Aug. 12, 526-1322) — Six artists are showcased: Ben Kikuyama (a full-room installation that invites the viewer to embellish a story), Hugh Russell (close-up photos of soap), Suzanne Saylor (sunny photos of grave sites), Masami Teraoka (brashly satirical paintings dealing with contemporary issues), Kaori Ukaji (stunning all-over black drawings) and Fae Yamaguchi (a playful puppet video).
• Francis Haar: The Japan Years (Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i, through July 15; 945-7633) — Splendid photographs from a master document 20 years in Japan, 1940-1960. Haar's black-and-white prints are exquisite examples of the genre.
• Tropical Energy: Recent Ceramic Sculptures and Drawings by Jun Kaneko (Honolulu Academy of Arts, extended to Aug. 12, 532-8700) — Grand ceramic sculptures are installed throughout the museum. A wall of ceramic tiles, titled "Honolulu Wall," is a masterpiece of color and pattern. Kaneko, born in Nagoya, Japan, is among the foremost ceramic sculptors in the world.
• Korean Fashion (Honolulu Academy of Arts, through Oct. 28, 532-8700) — The opening of the academy's new Korean Gallery is celebrated with a splendid showing of textiles from the Ewha Women's University Museum in Seoul.
• Pupu 'o Ni'ihau: Ni'ihau Shell Leis (Honolulu Academy of Arts, through Sept. 30, 532-8700) — Lei made from the delicate shells for which Ni'ihau is famous provide a glimpse into the cultural history of that privately owned island.