Arts Scene
Critic's Choice

Mini-reviews of current art exhibits
By Advertiser art critic Virginia Wageman

• Artists of Hawai'i (Honolulu Academy of Arts, through Aug. 26, 532-8700) — The juror of this year's show, Arnold Lehman, director of the Brooklyn Museum of Art, looked for "tough instead of safe," and he often found it. From the islands of Hawai'i, Maui, Kaua'i and O'ahu, 75 artists demonstrate what's happening today in contemporary art by both established and emerging artists. Concurrently, three established photographers — Paul Kodama, Franco Salmoiraghi and Shuzo Uemoto — exhibit sublime work.

• Biennial of Hawai'i Artists (The 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 Hawaii, through tomorrow, 945-7633) — Splendid photographs document the 20 years Haar lived in Japan, 1940-60. 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, several at the front entrance. A wall of ceramic tiles, titled "Honolulu Wall," is a masterpiece of color and pattern. Kaneko, born in Nagoya, Japan, has lived in the United States for 38 years and is among the foremost ceramic sculptors in the world.