THE NIGHT STUFF
It starts with art at First Fridays party
By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
Happy birthday, First Fridays!
Launched a year ago by arts-supporting folks, nonprofits and businesses in and around Chinatown, the monthly self-guided walking tour of downtown galleries has grown into quite the weekend-greeting arts party.
Kim Kinard's "Blindfold" is among the works of art on display at The ARTS at Marks Garage, part of First Fridays and the Girl Fest celebration tonight in downtown Honolulu.
To become official participants, businesses — galleries, restaurants, tattoo parlors, building lobbies, retailers, etc. — must offer art and art-making activities that entertain and educate. And so you'll find all manner of performances, demonstrations, opening receptions, games, lectures and special sales that support Hawai'i's diverse arts community. March's downtown gallery walk drew more than 800 patrons to the area.
Included among about 18 other participants in tonight's First Fridays first birthday celebration (5-9 p.m.):
• Girl Fest Gallery at The ARTS at Marks Garage. As something of a teaser for its end-of-May Girl Fest celebration, The Safe Zone Foundation opens a one-month exhibit of art by emerging female artists. Also on hand just for First Friday: spoken word by Punk Rock JME, Brenda Kwon and First Thursdays champion slammer Selah Geissler; and an art/dance installation by Giinko Marischino and choreographed by Sami Akuna of Iona Contemporary Dance. Performance art and film works round out the evening. 5-10 p.m. Free. 599-3931.
• Define Awareness — Waiting For Humanity To Happen at Soullenz Gallery. Live music from Jammarek and an exhibit of 20 paintings collaboratively worked on in April by a handful of Island artists.
• Abilities 2004 — An Art Show at Studio 1 Gallery. A juried exhibit of works by artists who have used art to take back their lives from mental illnesses.
Other participating venues include the Hawai'i State Art Museum, Atelier 4 Fine Art Gallery, Got Art?, Hanks Café Honolulu, Sharky's Tattoo, Café Che Pasta, The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Bank and The Pegge Hopper Gallery.
Map guides of gallery-walk venues are available at all First Friday participants, including The ARTS at Marks Garage.
Oral outlet
Last night's First Thursdays Grand Slam got you psyched for another evening of wicked spoken word, like, right away? Tonight's Stage Rage: Mortal Kombat Style slam is open to anyone with a need to share some self-expression, verbally. It's promoter Red Shark Productions' final slam before next month's awards ceremony. The slam starts at 8 p.m. at University of Hawai'i-Manoa's Hemenway Theatre. Poets should register between 7 and 8 p.m. Entry is $5 ($3 students with ID). 226-4839.
Props to jazz quartet
Congratulations go out to the Honolulu Jazz Quartet on its debut CD "Sounds of the City" hitting No. 32 on JazzWeek's national Top 50 jazz chart and scoring a Na Hoku Hanohano Award nomination for jazz album of the year. Catch John, Tim, Dan and Adam live at Gordon Biersch, 7-10 p.m. Monday. Information: www.honolulujazzquartet.com.
Reach Derek Paiva at 525-8005 or dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.
