Letter From The Editor

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When explaining the theme of the inaugural Honolulu Biennial — MIDDLE OF NOW | HERE — the event’s co-founder Isabella Ellaheh Hughes acknowledges that yes, it’s a play on ‘nowhere,’ but she seems to imply that it is almost in a tongue-and-cheek sort of way.

“We are not in the middle of nowhere,” she says. “We might be the most isolated land mass, but there is much to be learned through our art scene here.”

That is, in part, the goal of Honolulu Biennial — to show to the world that Hawaii does have a thriving contemporary arts scene. Hughes conceptualized Honolulu Biennial a few years ago alongside Katherine Tuider and Dr. KJ Baysa.

The event kicks off March 8, and will run through May 8, featuring works by 33 artists alongside a whole slew of different events, performances and workshops all over Honolulu.

For those who have been following the journey of Honolulu Biennial, it almost seems hard to believe that it is finally here. The organizers have been hosting various pre-Biennial events since 2014.

“It definitely feels joyful to take something that was purely an idea … and then to see the community come together to make this happen,” Hughes says.

Read more about what to expect on page 6.