Critic's Choice

Advertiser Staff

• "Drawing Is Another Kind of Language" (Contemporary Museum, through June 10, 526-1322) — This exhibition, drawn from a private New York collection, presents a broad range of drawings made since the 1950s, with one by Barnett Newman from 1946. The drawings are mostly by Americans, and mostly by minimalist artists or those who explore related trends. Most striking about the exhibition overall is the amount of freedom evident in what would seem a constraining aesthetic.

Also noteworthy is the intermingling of art-world notables such as Jasper Johns and Ellsworth Kelly with lesser-known, though no less interesting, artists.

• "Current Breezes of Sofu" (Honolulu Academy of Arts, through Sunday, 532-8700) — Sogetsu-school bamboo sculptures are displayed on the front lawn as well as in the Asian and garden courtyards. The pieces at the corner of Beretania and Ward are lit for dramatic nighttime display. They are all marvelous examples of a little-known art form.

• "Bamboo in Japanese Culture" (East-West Center Gallery, through June 29, 944-7177) — Bamboo in all its guises is on display, including objects made of bamboo and those decorated with bamboo motifs. Some extraordinary textiles are exhibited, but the baskets steal the show.