Cities 2024 – F-Stop Magazine
Two photographs from my No Outlet body of work have been selected to be part of the F-Stop Magazine Cities 2024 exhibit (Issue #124). Be sure to head over to their website to see all the images!
Honolulu is in the midst of a building boom that, under the guise of progress, is constantly changing the face of the city and the way we live within it.
This ongoing project began in 2015 and focuses on how the everyday places where people have lived, worked and played while building a strong sense of community identity are being replaced. Often old, and not considered iconic, I see years of collected memories, beauty, optimism and maybe even a little bit of melancholy in the complex array of structures and scenes that make up the city. In the spirit of these places, and those that remain, it is my hope that these images may encourage others to take a closer look at how we honor our communities by balancing development with preservation. We need to ensure that we do, in fact, have an outlet.
“The present changes the past. Looking back you do not find what you left behind.”
Kiran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss
Modern Postcards: The STATE of ALOHA
Modern Postcards: the STATE of ALOHA was juried into Contemporary Photography in Hawai‘i 2024 show by David Ulrich, Alison Beste and Peter Shaindlin.
I’m honored by the selection of my work and also to share the walls with many talented photographers who represent the state of Hawai’i well with their visual skill and creativity.
Modern Postcards: the STATE of ALOHA was conceived as part of on ongoing project where I take a critical look at contemporary culture surrounding tourism in Hawai’i.
Artist Statement:
Hawai’i has been the self-proclaimed Aloha State since 1959. But, rather than being a way of living with love and compassion based on Hawaiian cultural values, Aloha is presented as a tangible commodity that helps form the image of Hawai’i.
The first effort to market Hawaiʻi was organized in 1892 by non-native businessmen who wanted to monetize Hawai’i and its unique culture. Through their efforts, an idealized, simulacra of an exotic paradise captured the imagination of travelers. The mid-century use of vernacular photography and the popularity of picture postcards helped to cement this version of Hawai’i in entertainment and popular culture.
Over a hundred years later, visitors are still presented with a vision of Hawai‘i that is washed clean of its complex realities and is overly simplified, mythologized, and frequently exploited for material gain.
“the STATE of ALOHA” is a series of modern postcards that highlight how the commodification of Aloha continues to be an integral part of how Hawai’i is presented to the world.
The show was sponsored by Pacific New Media Foundation and was exhibited at the Downtown Art Center from February 1-10, 2024.
Artist Book: In The Beginning
In the beginning…the earth was void and without form
These are the words that Leslie Gleim wrote for the artist book that we collaborated on for her first solo exhibit on Hawaiʻi Island. It was such a joy and honor to work with Leslie and her magnificent aerial images in the creation of this limited edition handmade accordion book.
Featuring seven images from her exhibit, the eight panel accordion book was constructed from museum grade mounting board and is hinged with archival bookcloth. The split cover features a metaphoric lava river and the book rests in a custom tray and comes wrapped in a 100% cotton cloth.
The pages can be turned for a traditional viewing experience or when extended the book becomes a portable exhibit and viewers witness the regenerative power of the land from one side and the dramatic beauty of the molten lava from the opposite side. The book represents an amazing duality that is one of the hallmarks of Leslieʻs photographic work.
Creating this handmade artist book was a dream come true for me and is a really big milestone on my fledgling bookmaking journey. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity and the faith that Leslie placed in me to present this body of work in book form for the first time.
I was blessed to be able to join Leslie at the opening In the Beginning… on Hawaiʻi Island recently and it was an awe inspiring experience to see her gorgeous prints on the walls and our artist book prominently displayed in the Suli T. Go Gallerie at Kahilu Theater.
Book Specifications:
Limited edition of 3 handmade accordion books
11 3/8″ Wide by 9 1/4″ High
Depth: 1 1/2″
Extended for display: 6-7 feet
8 accordion panels featuring 7 images and a signed and numbered opening panel.
Custom tray and 100% cotton wrap also included
In The Beginning is on view and available for purchase from September 26 – November 3, 2024 in the Suli T. Go Gallerie at Kahilu Theater in Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island.
