Art
Big Island artists' works shine despite show format

By Virginia Wageman
Advertiser Art Critic

Matthew Lovein's "Boot Safe" was created from raku-fired ceramic and metal, and its surface is rich in detail. Hawai'i Island Art Competition and Invitational East Hawai'i Cultural Center, Hilo. Through May 25. 935-9085. Wailoa Center, Hilo. Through May 30. 933-0417.

Sounds simple? Well, it isn't, because works from both shows are interspersed and divided between two venues in Hilo — the East Hawai'i Cultural Center and the Wailoa Center.

Further, works by individual artists are divided between the venues, defeating, it would seem, the purpose of the portfolio show, which, as outlined in the prospectus, was to provide an overview of an artist's work.

Despite these problems, if one approaches the shows as an opportunity to see on a large scale what is happening on the Big Island art scene today, then the offerings will not disappoint.

Included are about 190 works — almost equally divided between the two spaces — by 80 artists.

As juror Carol Khewhok notes, the areas of printmaking, glass, and photography appear to be particularly exciting on the Big Island.

Khewhok, curator of the Academy Arts Center at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, adds that she was encouraged by the number of high-quality pieces by emerging artists with whom she wasn't familiar.

In a show this big, it's difficult to single out individual works and artists for praise, as there are a great many fine pieces.

Several artists clearly stand out from the crowd, though, among them Hiroki Morinoue, represented by a painting as well as three subtle but powerful sculptures; and Stephen Freedman, whose three large ceramic sculptures address and struggle with the nature of form.

In figurative painting, Lynn Capell's images of swimmers and of a napping woman are nicely executed. Steve Irvine and Arthur Johnson paint impressive landscapes, and there is a small and sweet plein air painting by Gerald Murai.

Abstraction is well represented in paintings, foremost are those of Byoung Yong Lee, whose mixed media works on paper are rich with saturated colors and spare in their depictions of organic forms.

Other noteworthy painters working in an abstract mode are Sudha Achar (who also has three elegant marble sculptures in the show), Pat Walker and Lauren Okano.

Watercolors by Kenji Kajiwara, Kay Yokoyama and Paul de Vries stand out, as do prints by Nora Yamanoha, Setsuko Watanabe and Vivian Ursula.

There is a gorgeous, 8-paneled print by Jeera Rattanangkoon, each panel with layers of imagery, as well as two paintings by the same artist that are tours de force of all-over patterning — especially the one titled "Two Trees," with slivers of lighter sections that serve as metaphors for sunlight in the forest.

Matthew Lovein's "Boot Safe" was created from raku-fired ceramic and metal, and its surface is rich in detail. Mary Lovein • Special to The Advertiser

As noted by Khewhok, photography —æboth manipulated and straight — is particularly strong among Big Island artists.

Yukako Karr's multipaneled manipulated works are arresting and evocative. Among the straight images, see Jim Kelly's exquisite volcano photographs, Norman Negre's well-composed shots, and Steven Garon's atmospheric black-and-white photos, especially one of Lake Kunming in China.

There is much superb use of wood among Big Island artists. Look for bowls and sculpture in koa, wenge, mango and other woods by Gerald Ben, as well as vessels by Barry Ching, especially a large bowl with undulating sides titled "Petals."

A wooden bowl by Steven Lang reveals an intriguingly decorated inside with a gouged-out design. A carved monk by Randy Takaki stands tall in the East Hawai'i Cultural Center, where books beautifully bound in wood by Jesus Sanchez are also to be seen.

In glass, Anthony Borgiolia, Michael Mortara, and Patricia Van Asperen create whimsical fantasies. The glassworks of Hugh Jenkins and Stephanie Ross, working together, and those of Wilfred Yamasawa are inspired by the powers of Pele, evoking the colors and forms of lava.

Ira Ono's shadowbox, "Scout's Cosmic Journey," is a magnificent melange of found objects; and Sam Rosen's mixed-media construction involving a post office box on wheels is a fantastic display of Dadaesque humor.

Notable in fiber are Susan O'Malley's dyed handmade papers and a bowl by Susan Boyz.

Aside from the willy-nilly intermingling of artworks from two separate exhibitions, the shows have other problems. Works are mislabeled, many names are incorrectly spelled, and the checklists for the shows are poorly prepared — especially that for the Wailoa Center.

The shows are the work of a new organization, Arts Pacifica Alliance, headed by gallery owner Amaury Saint-Gilles, who co-curated the portfolio show with Khewhok.

A fledgling organization can be forgiven for some lapses — and their intentions are indeed the best — but it is to be hoped that they will get their act together for next time.

Virginia Wageman can be reached at VWageman@aol.com.