Volcano Art Center has announced the next fine art exhibition to be displayed at the VAC Gallery in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park from Feb. 16-March 24.
The exhibition, titled NIUHI-SHARK, honors Kamehameha the Great, in both paint and prose, with original paintings created by Carl F.K. Pao, paired with selections from the book “Kamehameha – The Rise of a King,” by Kawika Eyre.
The exhibit, in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of King Kamehameha’s death, will open on Saturday, Feb. 16 with the artist and author present at an opening reception from 5-7 p.m.
The public is also welcome to attend a panel discussion the day before at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15 at the Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
2019 marks the 200th year since the death of Kamehameha the Great. His beloved wife, Ka‘ahumanu, is said to have tattooed the exact date on her arm: May 8, 1819. 1819 was also the year of the breaking of the ‘ai kapu which freed men and women to eat together. Later that same year, Chief Kekuaokalani, Kamehameha’s nephew, fell with his wife Manono on the battlefield at Kuamo‘o in a last and valiant attempt to defend the kapu system. This year is thus a year of reflection.
Hawaii Island is not only the place of Kamehameha’s birth, it is also the beautiful and dramatic setting of much of his life’s story, the source of his power, the home of his final days, and the hidden place of his bundled bones.
This commemorative exhibit showcases Pao’s artwork with key excerpts from the book “Kamehameha – The Rise of a King,” and illustrations created for the book by artist Brook Parker. The collection provides viewers a visual experience of important events in King Kamehameha’s life and the fascinating perspective from two very different styles of art.
The exhibit and supporting events promise paint, prose, protocol and conversations providing cultural, historical and educational experiences.
During Merrie Monarch Week, April 21-27, the exhibition is planned to expand and move to the East Hawaii Cultural Center.
David Kawika Eyre has taught Hawaiian language at Kamehameha Schools for 23 years. His book on Kamehameha won a Palapala Po‘okela Award for excellence in Hawaiian culture, a Nene Book Award, a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, and a Read Aloud America selection award. He will be signing copies of this book from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 17 at the VAC gallery.
Born and raised on the island of Oahu, Carl F.K. Pao graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1989. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1994, a Masters of Fine Arts in 1999 from Elam School of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa, New Zealand. He returned to Hawaii in 2000 to take his a full-time teaching position at the Kamehameha Schools high school in the visual arts department. In January 2018, Carl transferred to the Keaau campus.